Chaos And Cosmos
by Bill K
Summary: An ancient evil wants Helios dead. Naturally Princess Usagi has a few things to say about that.
1. In The Crosshairs

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 1: "In The Crosshairs"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Moon and all related characters are (c)2019 by Naoko Takeuchi and are used without permission, but with respect. Story is (c)2019 by Bill K.

* * *

Fish Eye stirred from his sleep. He lay in the simple, spartan bed of a temple maiden in the service of the Dream Guardian and listened in the dark for more of the sound that had first awakened him. There was nothing other than the breathing of his roommate, Ravonna the Seer. But as his mind became more clear, Fish Eye could tell the breathing was heavy and accelerated. He was about to turn to her and inquire as to whether she had received a vision or just a nightmare, for even the denizens of Elysian were not immune to the influence of the Nightmare Realm. But before he could, Ravonna got up.

"Ravonna?" he asked as the comely blonde woman hastily flung on her temple maiden robe. "Did you see something?"

Ravonna didn't answer. She just hurried out the door and into the Elysian night. Concerned, Fish Eye got up and threw on his temple maiden robe. As he emerged from the temple maiden quarters, he caught a glimpse of Ravonna's golden hair disappearing into the abode of the Guardian Mother. Convinced that Ravonna had seen something, something which had frightened her, Fish Eye hurried across the stone court surrounding the Temple of Elysian to join her fellow temple maiden.

When Fish Eye entered, Ravonna was on her knees before Candide, the Guardian Mother and ruler of Elysian. For her part, Candide was confused both by Ravonna's supplicant behavior and by her hurried babbling, for this was most out of character with the usually reserved maiden.

"Ravonna, please," Candide implored the woman. "You're not making any sense. What threat do you speak of?"

"I do not know," Ravonna replied, wringing her hands. There was emotion in her voice that was also unusual for her. "It is formless! Nameless - - or at least I am unable to comprehend its name! I only know it is evil! Dark, slithering, smothering evil, evil beyond anything yet conjured up by the Nightmare Realm! It consumes all thought, all joy, all life!" Ravonna shuddered. "And it comes."

"Here, to Elysian?" Candide asked.

"Eventually," Ravonna said distantly, still haunted by her vision. "But my vision held it upon the Earth. It seeks your son, Helios the Guardian of the Dreaming!"

"Helios? What does this nameless evil want with my Helios? Did you see that?"

A tear trickled down Ravonna's cheek.

"It seeks my Lord's death," Ravonna squeaked out. "And I fear it cannot be stopped."

* * *

Breakfast time in the Royal Chambers saw eighteen year old Usa buzzing past her parents, dressed in a form-fitting baby blue and white body suit with a flared white skirt that barely covered her backside and stylish pink boots. She also wore a visor originally designed as eye protection from the sun, but which had become the fashion rage among the young. As usual her parents were at the breakfast table and, as usual, the teen princess preferred to dine with her friends in the palace cafeteria.

"Bye, Mom! Bye Pop!" she tossed over her shoulder as she hurried out. "See you after school!"

But before she reached the door, Usa stopped and turned back to her mother. As usual at this time of the morning, Queen Serenity was frazzled, disheveled and barely coherent. But something was different about the picture. Endymion was cradling little Mamoko, attempting to feed the cranky infant and not succeeding.

"Mom? You OK?" Usa asked.

"No," Serenity sobbed petulantly. "I have a splitting headache! It woke me up at four and it wouldn't let me get back to sleep!"

"Wow, must be powerful if it woke you up," Usa remarked.

"I still maintain that Dr. Mizuno should scan her for a physical cause," Luna huffed. "Naturally, your mother was quite resistant to anything remotely resembling common sense."

"I don't want to bother Ami-Chan with this," Serenity growled.

"You know," Usa began, eyebrow arched, "you usually don't feel like this unless there's something bad that you're sensing. You're pretty receptive to tragedy and stuff like that. And the way Mamoko is fussing makes me think you're picking up on something that's irritating your emotions. Pop, has there been any disasters in the world?"

"None that have been reported," Endymion replied. "I already thought of that and checked. Unless it's something that's about to happen."

"In which case, it might be a good idea to check on how Aunt Rei is feeling," Usa added. "If Mom is picking up on something, maybe she is too."

"A good idea, Honey," Endymion said. He pulled out his PDA and engaged the call feature.

"I'm sorry for keeping you, Usa," Serenity mumbled through the obvious discomfort she was feeling. "I know you want to be with your friends. Why don't you go ahead."

"You sure?" Usa asked. "I don't mind staying."

"I'll get through this. Don't worry about me. Your father is here, and Rei-Chan will probably be here any minute." She turned her head, eyes still clamped shut, in the direction of Luna. "And Luna's probably ratted me out to Ami-Chan by now, so I'll be in good hands."

"There is no need to be vulgar," sniffed Luna.

"You go on," Serenity told her daughter.

Usa leaned in and kissed her mom on the cheek. And in that brief moment of contact, the Princess sensed some of the pain her mother was experiencing. Concerned, she stared at the woman for a moment. Then she gave in to her mother's wishes and headed for the cafeteria.

In the cafeteria, Hotaru was waiting for her. The teen had a heart-healthy breakfast before her, as prescribed by Ami Mizuno, and was picking at it without enthusiasm. When Usa slid in across from the teen with her meal, Hotaru tried to light up. But Usa could tell it was strained.

"You OK, Hotaru?" Usa asked.

"I guess," the slight girl sighed. "I just feel - - depressed."

"Trouble between you and Yutaka?"

"No," Hotaru shrugged, "other than he studies too hard. I appreciate that he wants to make something out of himself, but he never seems to have time to do anything else anymore."

"Like snuggle with you?" Usa grinned. Hotaru flushed, but the edges of her mouth crept up. "Did you get your running in?"

"I had to push myself, but yes," Hotaru replied.

"Did you have a fight with Aunt Michiru and Uncle Haruka?"

"No," Hotaru said. "It's nothing like that. I just - - feel down for some reason. I can't describe it. I haven't felt this way since . . ." and Hotaru's eyes widened when she realized what she was about to say. But it was Usa and she knew Usa wouldn't judge. "Since when I was blacking out - - to become Mistress Nine."

Usa's hand shot out and grasped hers. A wave of gratitude swept over her.

"I'm not scared about her coming back," Hotaru assured her. "But these feelings - - they resemble the despair and hopelessness I felt back then. Maybe not as intense; the thing is, I don't know why."

Just then the Asteroids came up and slid into their regular seats beside Usa and Hotaru. Jun, Ves and Cere seemed fine. Palla-Palla, though, was not her cheery, animated self. She spooned up a helping of her favorite sugary cereal and ate it distantly.

"You feeling out of it, too, Palla-Palla?" Usa inquired.

"Yeah, she's been kind of out of it all morning," Ves reported. "Says she's not sick."

"I don't know how she can eat that cereal and not be," scowled Cere. "Honestly, why don't you just pour sugar in the milk and cut out the middle step?"

"Lay off her!" snorted Ves.

"You're still not missing the dragon, are you?" Usa ventured.

"Palla-Palla does miss Mr. Dragon-Sir and wishes she could be with him," Palla-Palla answered. "Palla-Palla doesn't think it's that, though. It's different."

"Does your head hurt, Palla-Palla?" Usa asked.

"No, Princess. Palla-Palla just - - feels icky. She's sorry she can't explain it better, but she isn't very smart."

"I can't explain it either, Palla-Palla," Hotaru assured her. "But I feel the same way."

"And Mom had a gigantic headache this morning," Usa said. Hotaru glanced at her friend and saw the gears turning in her head. "And Mamoko was fussy."

Lurching out of her seat, Usa turned for the door.

"Usa?" Hotaru asked after her.

"I want to check something!" was the response as twin tails of pink hair disappeared out the door. Immediately Hotaru got up and followed her. Cere was next, followed by Palla-Palla. At the door, Cere turned to see if the others were coming.

"Ves!" Cere gasped as she saw Ves following her, the breakfast steak in her hands as the teen crammed as much of it into her mouth as she could manage. "That is SO disgusting!"

"Never waste food," Ves replied, though it was hard to tell with her mouth crammed full of steak.

"Animal!" Cere hissed. Then she noticed Jun carrying her cup of diced fruit and popping the chunks into her mouth with her fingers. "Jun!"

"Well, she's right!" Jun shot back. Cere glared as her sister passed her out the door.

When the six teens arrived at the Shinto Shrine built within the walls of the Crystal Palace, they found Rei Hino being tended to by Endymion. He turned as they came in and expressed their mutual shock.

"Aunt Rei? What happened?" Usa gasped.

"Not so loud, Muffin," Rei whimpered. She was holding her head with both hands at the temples while Endymion held her shoulders to steady her.

"When Rei didn't answer my message earlier, I came to check on her," Endymion explained. "I found her sprawled on the floor."

"Aunt Rei?"

"Don't worry about me, Muffin," the priest responded. "But you need to check on Helios."

"Helios?" Usa asked anxiously. "What's wrong with Helios?"

"I don't know," Rei sighed. "His name just flashed into my mind."

And Usa was off like a shot, racing down the corridor to the quarters Helios stayed in. Trailing behind were her friends. All except Palla-Palla.

"Palla-Palla hopes you feel better, Miss Rei-Ma'am," the girl bowed, then scampered off after the others. The gesture brought a tired smile to Rei's face.

* * *

"Yes, Mother, I am well," Helios thought. He sat in a lotus position on the bed in his quarters, communicating telepathically with Candide on Elysian. "What disturbs you? You seem upset."

Candide took a moment to quell her fears.

"Ravonna had a vision this morning," Candide told her son.

"It involved me?

"It did. It indicated that you were in some sort of current or pending danger. Have you and Princess Usagi been involved in dangerous activity recently?"

"Not since the incident with the dragon," Helios responded. "I already told you of that. It has been quite calm since then. Did Ravonna see what is to menace me or how?"

"No," Candide answered and Helios sensed her frustration. "Only that there is a nameless evil approaching and it seeks your death." Candide paused. "I know what I am about to ask, but I ask it anyway. Please come back to Elysian, Helios. If only until this nameless evil can be identified and repelled."

"Mother," he began.

"You will be safer here where your powers are at their fullest!" Candide argued. "I mean no disrespect to Princess Usagi or her warriors! They are quite formidable! I just . . ."

"Your concern for me is appreciated, as always Mother," Helios thought back. "But my heart is no longer in Elysian. My heart is here. Therefore I am strongest here."

"Love doth make fools of us all," Candide whispered, but Helios heard her. "I know that tone. Your mind is set."

"Mother," Helios sighed.

"Ravonna will try to see more," Candide told him. "And I will do whatever I can from here to gain more information and to help protect you."

"I am grateful, Mother," Helios thought to her. "Please do not concern yourself for my safety at the cost of your own or that of Elysian."

"I am a mother," Candide responded. "I make no promises. Please take care."

Just then the door to his quarters hissed open. Helios was momentarily on his guard, but saw it was only Usa, using her skill to override the door lock. The Princess rushed in and landed on the bed next to him.

"Helios, are you all right?" Usa gasped. By now the others had arrived and they peered in through the door.

"So you have sensed it, too?" Helios asked.

"Sensed what? What do you know?" the teen demanded. Helios explained the call he had just received from his mother in Elysian. Every syllable seemed to make his love that much more anxious.

"So something is out there," Jun commented.

"And it's setting off alarms in everybody here with psychic sensitivity," Usa added. "That's significant, but I don't know why. If only we knew more."

She noticed Helios stiffen momentarily and grasped his arm.

"It is only my mother," Helios assured her. "Our conversation was ended abruptly by your entrance. Given the circumstances, she became quite worried."

"Tell her I'm sorry," Usa offered.

"She forgives you," Helios smiled. "And she charges you not to leave my side."

"Easiest mission I've ever had," Usa grinned.

"So what do you want us to do, Princess?" Ves asked.

"I'm not sure there's anything we can do until we know more," Usa sighed. "I suppose if Palla-Palla gets some thought or impression, that might help. But until we know more, we're just stuck on defense. Guess you all can stand down. Just be ready to come running if I call."

"We will," Cere nodded.

"And Palla-Palla will listen real close," Palla-Palla nodded. "She'll even miss today's Yumi-Chan's Toyshop so she's not distracted."

"Thanks," grinned Usa.

"So are you going to stay here?" Hotaru asked.

"Until Pop runs me out," Usa said. "And then he'd better bring a squad of guards."

The Asteroids nodded and headed off. As they walked off, Jun noticed Hotaru's thoughtful expression.

"Whatever it is, we'll handle it," Jun assured her.

"I just wish we knew what we were facing," Hotaru mumbled. To Jun, it seemed like the teen was making a decision. Abruptly she veered off from the group.

"Hotaru?" Jun inquired.

"I've got an idea," she said as she hurried off. "I'll let you all know how it comes out. Bye!"

"Hope it works!" Jun called after her.

"Hey, you still feeling bad?" Ves asked Palla-Palla when he saw the knit brow and the frown on the teen.

"Please don't talk, Ves-Ves!" she responded petulantly. "Palla-Palla is trying to concentrate!"

"Oh," Ves replied, startled. "Sorry."

* * *

The door hissed open to the quarters Hotaru shared with Haruka Tenoh and Michiru Kaioh.

"Mama!" Hotaru called out. "Are you here? I need to ask you something!"

What Hotaru saw when she entered the living room was a sight she wasn't prepared for. Her eyes bulged in shock.

* * *

"So what exactly happened?" Endymion asked. As he spoke, a medical team entered the shrine and moved in to take medical scans of the priest.

"I was," and Rei paused with embarrassment for a moment, "headed for the - - facilities. And then I was struck by this wave of psychic energy. It was enough to take all the strength from me for a moment. My head is still pounding from it."

"And you sensed Helios?"

"No," Rei replied. "I sensed evil intent. Intense evil intent, like I've felt only a few times before in my life. But one of its goals is Helios." She exhaled, trying to cleanse herself. "And there was a familiarity to it, too."

"Familiar how?"

"I've felt similar energy," she told him. "Not the same. But it reminded me of them."

"Of who?"

"Metallia," Rei replied softly. "And Wise Man. Pharaoh 90. Nehelenia. Talon Umbra." She took another breath. "And most of all, Galaxia."

Continued in Chapter 2


	2. The Shadow Invasion

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 2: "The Shadow Invasion"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

In a dark wound deep inside the Earth, a woman sat on a throne carved from granite. She was a slim woman, long and lean, yet muscular in a wiry way. She was not unlike the dragon she wore as an emblem on her shiny green silk dress, a dress with a high collar around her slender throat, no sleeves and a hem extending to her feet. A long, slim, menacing leg jutted out through a slit on the left side of the dress, a slit that ran from the hem to the hip.

There were other resemblances to the dragon on her dress: a pronounced arched, hairless brow over her eyes and eyes with elliptical irises - - lizard eyes. Her nose was long and thin, her cheeks long and sallow. Pronounced pointed ears cut through a thick, tousled, curling mane of brown hair tumbling down to her shoulders and down her back. Her skin was soft, but cold, the tone faint and with a slight greenish tint.

The woman, Talon Umbra by name, sat on the granite throne as she had for several hundred years now, drinking in every act of cruelty and violence on the surface world and replenishing her strength after her last clash with Queen Serenity. Due to Serenity's influence, such sustenance was harder to come by. But it was still there.

Standing to her left was a female shape in onyx, with a violet mane of hair cascading down its back. On her right was a similar creature, faceless save for a small mound resembling a nose and white slits for eyes, and with a mane of silver. The two beings stood and waited as they had for two centuries for their mistress to command them. Only when Talon Umbra moved her head slightly did they come to life and turn to her, anticipating serving her again after such a long period of inactivity.

"Tygos," Talon Umbra said as if she were listening to someone.

"My Mistress," Tygos, her of the silver locks, responded instantly.

"We have been tasked," the serpentine woman continued. Her hand waved before her and an image appeared in the cavernous darkness. The light from the picture highlighted the female forms of Tygos and Tenera as they looked at it intently. "This is the Crystal Palace. It is where my ancient nemesis, Queen Serenity, lives."

"Do you wish me to slay her, Mistress?" Tygos asked with anticipation. "I will crush her very skull between my hands in your name."

"You would try," Talon Umbra smiled. "But that is not your task. A being resides within the walls of the palace."

The image changed from that of the Crystal Palace to that of a single man.

"That is Helios, Guardian of the Realm of the Dreaming," Tenera spoke up.

"Correct," Talon Umbra said. "Helios resides in the Crystal Palace. He has become infatuated with the daughter of Serenity. Tygos, you who are my aspect of brutality and violence, I charge you: Kill him."

"I shall slay him where he stands in your glorious name, Mistress," Tygos proclaimed proudly, "and present you with his heart."

"May you enjoy great success," Talon Umbra grinned wickedly. Tygos bowed as it backed away, disappeared into the darkness and was gone.

"Forgive me for questioning you, Mistress," Tenera spoke up cautiously. "Do you believe Tygos can succeed? Serenity is strong and she has many powerful allies. And her daughter has inherited . . ."

"I am aware of all of this," Talon Umbra interrupted, her tone one of warning.

"Forgive me, Mistress," Tenera replied.

"You seek to undermine your sister," the demon judged. "I suppose you cannot help it. You are my aspect of deception and corruption. The task I gave Tygos is daunting, but not impossible, for Tygos is a single-minded creature. If she succeeds, all is well. If she fails, she will be destroyed and I will recreate her." Lizard eyes glanced up at Tenera. "And the blunt force of her approach will hold their attention, allowing you to slip into the palace more easily. Should she fail, you will be there to succeed."

"My Mistress has once more demonstrated her superiority to me," Tenera nodded.

"Wait for Tygos to attack," Talon Umbra advised her aspect. "Gain access to the palace in the chaos and use whatever means necessary to ensure the death of Helios. Tygos is expendable, as are you and anyone in your path."

"I go, Mistress," Tenera said. She bowed and backed away until she disappeared into the dark. Talon Umbra reclined back onto the granite throne.

"Soon, My Master," she said.

* * *

The door hissed open to the quarters Hotaru shared with Haruka Tenoh and Michiru Kaioh.

"Mama!" Hotaru called out. "Are you here? I need to ask you something!"

Haruka and Michiru looked up from the passionate clinch they were both engaged in on the sofa. Hotaru colored immediately and averted her eyes.

"We're sorry, Hotaru-Chan," Michiru said with a mischievous smirk. "We weren't expecting you back so soon."

"I guess," Hotaru replied impatiently.

"You needed to ask me something?" Michiru inquired as Haruka straightened her polo shirt.

"A seer in Elysian had a vision of a nameless evil trying to kill Helios," Hotaru explained. "I was hoping you could use the Deep Aqua Mirror to get more information on who it is."

Michiru and Haruka exchanged glances. Immediately Michiru transformed into Sailor Neptune.

"Well, that's an ominous turn of events," Neptune remarked. "Let me see what the mirror says."

Holding the Deep Aqua Mirror extended from her, the face at eye level, Sailor Neptune waved her right hand across it. The Senshi slipped into a light trance. Hotaru swallowed. She had seen her guardian do this before, but it never seemed to stop being spooky to her. A nervous glance at Haruka showed her she wasn't alone in feeling that way. Then Neptune's lips began to move, as if she were conversing with the mirror, but no sound came from her. Shifting, Hotaru peered over to look into the glass. There was nothing she could see beyond reflected light.

The tableau continued on, Neptune staring mesmerized into the glass while Haruka and Hotaru became more and more worried. Neither could remember a session with the Deep Aqua Mirror taking this long. Unable to take it any longer, Haruka eased up behind her love. She reached out and lightly touched Neptune on the shoulder. Instantly Neptune let out a fearful gasp and crumpled. Quickly Haruka caught her and eased the woman down onto the sofa. Haruka and Hotaru bracketed her on the sofa while Neptune just stared, wide-eyed, her chest heaving from exertion.

"I've got you, Neptune," Haruka whispered into her ear as she cradled Neptune and rubbed her arms.

"Mama?" Hotaru whimpered. "Mama, what did you see?"

Neptune didn't answer at first. She just continued to stare. Hotaru was about to ask again, but Neptune finally spoke.

"Dark," Neptune said distantly. "It was dark - - foreboding. Menacing. Um, there was someone there in the darkness. It was female. She wore some sort of uniform, like our Sailor fukus. She had - - big scalloped wings coming out of her back. Massive, horrible things."

"Who was she?" prodded Haruka.

"I couldn't see her face. It was obscured by the dark," Neptune told her. "But she wore a crown. And that shape - - Haruka, I'll never forget that shape. Haruka, it was the crown Galaxia wore."

An instantaneous cold dread ran down the other two. Even after a thousand years, the name "Galaxia" could still inspire fear.

* * *

"I wish Luna hadn't bothered you," Serenity sighed. She sat on the sofa in the Royal Chambers while Ami Mizuno waved a medical scanner over her. Luna hovered nearby.

"Practicing medicine is never a bother," Ami remarked as she studied the readout from the medical scanner. "What is a bother are patients who incorrectly self-diagnose."

"Then you found something?" Luna asked.

"Her EEG readings are erratic, pulse and blood pressure are down and her central nervous system is irritated," Ami reported. "These are consistent with the complaints she made."

"Don't talk like I'm not in the room," Serenity muttered irritably.

"I apologize," Ami offered. "However, I can't detect a physical cause for her condition. That leads me to believe that the cause is psychological."

"It's all in her head?" gasped Luna.

"Well, yes and no," Ami frowned. "I did say psychological, not psychosomatic. Given Serenity's psychic receptiveness, due to her contact with the Silver Crystal, I'm theorizing that she's tuned into something psychically and her body is reacting negatively to the contact. It may be something she recognizes on a sub-conscious level that is repellant or irritating to her."

"Well if it's giving me this kind of headache, I can imagine what Rei-Chan's feeling," sighed the Queen. "I don't suppose you can give me anything for it?"

"I have an analgesic solution, but most drugs don't last very long with your metabolism," Ami replied. "What about those meditative procedures Rei tried to teach you?"

"Whenever I try, I always fall asleep," groaned the Queen.

"Your natural state," muttered Luna.

Just then a holographic communications window popped up in front of the Queen.

"Oh, it's from Usa!" Serenity exclaimed and engaged the window. "Yes, Honey?"

"Just calling to see if you were any better, Mom," Usa said over the communications link embedded in the window. Serenity could see her sitting next to Helios.

"Ami-Chan's going to give me something. Hopefully it helps," Serenity told her. "That's not the cafeteria. Are you in Helios's quarters?"

"Yeah, Mom. That's the other thing I had to tell you. Candide called and said Ravonna had a premonition about someone making an attempt on Helios. So I'm body-guarding him for now. Let Pop know, OK? And ask him not to freak."

"I'll handle your father," Serenity assured her. "You keep Helios safe." She grinned conspiratorially. "And don't get distracted by his handsome face."

"Mother!" Usa sighed peevishly and cut the communications. Serenity smirked, Ami twittered and even Luna smothered a grin.

"I love doing that to her," Serenity admitted devilishly. "Does that make me a bad person?"

* * *

The moment King Endymion heard Rei say the name "Galaxia", he had his PDA out and was pecking on it. Rei studied him for a moment.

"I don't see the need to consult the security optics," Rei gently chided him. "I doubt Galaxia is hovering over the palace at the moment."

"I like to be cautious. You know that," Endymion murmured as he consulted the optics readouts. "Particularly when you mention the name 'Galaxia'."

"I said the energy was similar to Galaxia. I didn't say it was her," Rei cautioned him. "Remember, the last time we heard from Sailor Galaxia, she was trying to do penance for her actions by rebuilding worlds and embedding Star Seeds into new lives."

"And hopefully she's remained reformed," Endymion remarked.

"But you still like to check," Rei smirked.

"Well, the area seems normal at the moment. I guess the threat, whatever it is, hasn't shown itself yet. That gives us time to plan." He suddenly turned to Rei. "Are you going to be all right? I can escort you up to the infirmary."

"I'll be fine," Rei assured him. "Maybe just a little irritable."

Endymion nodded and swept out of the shrine. But he stopped in the outer corridor when he noticed Rei following him.

"You're headed for your computer room to tie it into the space observatory at Takasaki," Rei told him, outlining exactly what he had been thinking. "Did you think I didn't want to see, too? I want to know what I might be protecting her against, too."

"You usually have other methods," Endymion replied.

"Yours might be quicker in this case," Rei conceded. "And with this headache, I really don't feel up to building a fire."

The pair walked down the corridor. Palace workers nodded or greeted them as they passed. Endymion greeted them in return. Rei tried to be civil, but it was forced, what with her worry and her headache. As they walked, a communications screen popped up in front of the King. Touching the screen as he walked, Endymion engaged it and found Serenity in the window.

"Endymion, could you check on Rei-Chan, please?" the Queen asked. They could see Ami in the background. "I'm worried she might be suffering the same thing I am."

"Already done," Endymion assured her. "She's suffering from a headache due to a psychic impression she received, but she's up and able to go about her duties."

"I'll send Ami-Chan around to look at her," Serenity told them.

"That's not necessary, Serenity," Rei huffed, edging into the window's projection sight.

"Don't argue, Rei Hino!" barked the Queen. Rei made a face in answer and the Queen shot her a quick pout. "Oh, and Usa's with Helios in his quarters. She asked me to ask you not to freak."

"My daughter has such a low opinion of me," Endymion sighed.

"Apparently someone threatened to kill him and Usa is guarding him," Serenity informed them.

"Hmm. Maybe I'd better head over there and see if I can get more impressions. That may be what I'm sensing," Rei mused. "Unless you think it's just an excuse to cuddle."

"Usa wouldn't joke about something like that," Serenity maintained. "And if that was her intention, she would be a lot more creative."

"Then I'm heading over there," Rei told Endymion. "Let me know if you find out anything."

"Where are you headed, Endymion?" Serenity asked.

"I want to check a few things on my computer mainframe," he told her.

"Oh, that room again!" Serenity sighed peevishly.

* * *

Up until that moment it had been a normal day at the front gate guard station of the Crystal Palace. Guards scrutinized visitors there for the daily meet-and-greet Serenity held with the people. There were the usual annoyances: violators of the "one visit per month" rule, people who wanted instant access to the Queen and your occasional visitor with mental problems. A routine day for all.

Then one of the guards sighted a woman covered in black save for a mane of silver hair that trailed behind her, carried by the morning breeze. There was an unearthly appearance to her and, with memories of the clone attack in the minds of some of the guards, guests were quickly ushered out of the area while the gates were closed.

Still she kept approaching.

"Halt!" challenged one of the palace guards, speaking directly at the woman when she was at twenty feet and clearly approaching the main gate. "What is your business with the palace?"

Tygos kept coming.

"Stop there and identify yourself!" challenged the guard at ten feet, drawing his shock club as he spoke. "You are not permitted in the palace gate until you have been properly identified!"

She kept coming. When Tygos was three feet from the guard, he jabbed out with his shock club, intending on stunning and incapacitating the intruder. Tygos caught the thrust, electricity passing through the club and into her hand and arm. Her left hand lashed out and struck the guard a blow to the head. The guard toppled over like a sack of flour and lay on the pavement.

Discarding the shock club, Tygos walked up to the gate as guards swarmed to her. She seized the gate in her hands, hunched her shoulders and pushed it off its guides. The gate clattered loudly to the ground. A squad of guards leaped onto her, intent on dragging her to the ground and subduing her. Instead Tygos lashed out with her fists. One by one the guards landed on the pavement in bloody, battered heaps. One of the few remaining guards who was standing pressed a button on his belt.

"What the Hell is going on?" Ves exclaimed in the classroom she and the other Asteroids were in. A warning claxon and a flashing red light filled the room and the hall outside. It was the palace alert system, indicating the palace was under attack.

"A state of emergency has been declared for the Crystal Palace area," the holographic image of Ami Mizuno, who had been teaching the class, reported. "All civilians are requested to barricade themselves in their quarters. All security personnel, please report to your stations."

"That means us!" Ves grunted and headed for the door. Jun quickly followed, with Cere and Palla-Palla bringing up the rear. While running in the corridor, the Asteroids all got a simultaneous call on their Senshi communicators. Ves had already transformed.

"The emergency is at the front gate!" Usa told them. "I got a visual through the palace surveillance optics! Some life form completely in black has breached the front gate! This may be the attack on Helios that Candide warned us about!"

"Instructions?" Cere asked as Jun transformed.

"Capture her if you can!" Usa told them. "Repel her otherwise! But don't take any unnecessary risks! I'm staying with Helios!"

"Understood!" Cere replied. "You heard her!" and she began to transform into Sailor Ceres. The others had already transformed and were on their way.

When they arrived in the palace atrium, they were just in time to witness Tygos push through the palace front wall. Immediately Vesta and Juno crouched, recognizing a predator on sight. But it was Pallas who acted first.

"FIERY INCANTATION!" Pallas screamed fearfully. Tygos burst into flames.

Continued in Chapter 3


	3. Violence

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 3: "Violence"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"PALLAS!" Ceres exclaimed in shock. At a newly created hole in the front wall of the Crystal Palace, the intruder who had made the hole was currently engulfed in flames, courtesy of Sailor Pallas.

"REALLY BAD LADY!" Pallas screamed. They could see their sister was terrified.

"OK, I get that! But to burn her alive?" gasped Ceres.

"HEADS UP!" bellowed Vesta. Ceres turned as Pallas whimpered.

Stepping away from the flames was the intruder, a female form cast in black with white slits for eyes and a mane of silver hair. Most of the fire died away with nothing to burn. Some flames clung stubbornly to the creature, Tygos by name, but had no effect on her.

"Oh, my . . ." Ceres mumbled, eyes wide.

"Right! Fauna Assimilation, Bengal Tiger!" snapped Vesta.

Transforming into a full grown female Bengal tiger, Vesta instantly charged the creature. Aware of her charge, Tygos instantly cut the distance between them with a charge of her own. Vesta lunged at Tygos, but a hand moving too swiftly to be believed caught the great cat around the throat. The other hand of Tygos braced against Vesta's chest. With one unimpaired motion, Tygos slammed the tiger down on its back violently, then leaned in and proceeded to try to choke the life out of her.

"Let Vesta go!" raged Pallas. "Beautiful Incantation!"

Instantly unseen telekinetic blunt objects began pummeling Tygos, trying to get her to release Vesta. Tygos didn't even acknowledge the blows. Fighting back, Vesta began to claw at the arm holding her down with fore and back paws. Tygos ignored that, too.

"Floral Stimulation!" Ceres cried. She wove the decorative plants that populated the palace atrium into vines and limbs, then commanded them to wrap themselves around Tygos and pull her off.

"Aqua Initiation!" Juno cried. Using her command of water, she began pulling moisture out of the air and formed them into missiles the size of croquet balls. With growing animosity, she launched the missiles at Tygos.

Tygos resisted the assaults. By now Vesta was beginning to black out from lack of oxygen. Juno fired again, this time her missile of water growing to the size of a cannon shell, while Ceres wrapped a limb around the creature's throat and Pallas seized her in a gigantic telekinetic hand.

Nothing worked. Vesta, and the others, began to fear that she was about to know her last moment on Earth.

Suddenly Pallas turned and looked behind her. Juno heard a faint whistling of air being disturbed and her jungle instincts told her to look. That made Ceres look.

Flying through the air, after launching herself from the tenth step of the staircase behind them, was Sailor Saturn. The tiny Senshi landed with inhuman grace a mere foot from where Tygos was strangling Vesta. With a single motion, she swung her glaive, then pirouetted and was facing Tygos again, the glaive pointed at it. Tygos reared back and the others saw that its arms had been cleaved at the elbows. Freed from the grip of Tygos, Vesta began to cough and gasp for air. Pallas pulled her away while the others watched Saturn.

"Tygos!" Saturn snapped with revulsion. "What are you doing here?"

"Little death angel," Tygos nodded, almost out of respect. "We meet again."

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?" Saturn demanded. "ARE YOU AFTER HELIOS?"

"My Mistress wishes his head and I am here to secure it," Tygos replied. It seemed to feel no pain from having its arms severed. Everyone got the impression that it could lunge at Saturn at any moment, despite the limbs and vines restraining it. "Have you grown enough courage in a thousand years to stop me?"

"I have no qualms about killing something like you!" Saturn barked. "You're not human! Not alive! You're just some twisted aspect of her and her evil!"

"Do it!" rasped out Vesta, back in human form. "Don't give it a chance to attack you! Do it now!"

Spurred on by Vesta and by her own wariness of Tygos, Saturn acted. The blade of her glaive flashed in a figure eight pattern faster than the eye could see. Ceres flinched back when she felt the plants restraining Tygos be severed. When she glanced back, her eyes popped again. Tygos lay on the floor of the atrium, her head severed from her body and her legs and torso quartered. For a moment, Ceres reeled at the precision savagery.

Then Tygos began to laugh.

"Well struck, little death angel," Tygos chuckled.

The creature began to dissolve into black mist and for a moment everyone wondered if the battle was won. Then the mist coalesced and reformed. A moment later, Tygos stood before them, whole and uninjured.

"What a wonderful weapon you wield!" Tygos proclaimed. "Oh, what a path of destruction I could carve in this world if I possessed that!"

"Why does Talon Umbra want Helios dead?" demanded Saturn, her glaive ready to use at a moment's provocation.

"I do not question my Mistress," Tygos replied. "I obey."

"I won't let you hurt him!" Saturn warned the creature.

"Try to stop me," Tygos sneered.

In a blur of motion, the Silence Glaive was poised over Tygos's head. Saturn had tried to bring it down on Tygos executioner style. But Tygos had caught the blade in mid-stroke. The blade itself was buried an inch deep in the creature's hands. But strain as she might, Saturn could move the blade no further.

A violent movement to the side jerked the glaive handle out of Saturn's hands. With visible contempt, Tygos broke the handle with its foot, then pulled its hands from the blade and allowed it to clatter to the floor. Saturn stared up at Tygos in shock.

"Silence Wall!" she shouted, barely erecting her barrier in time to block the creature's charge. Tygos slammed into the barrier, then pulled back and slammed into it again. The wall held, but the strain on Saturn was evident to everyone.

"How the Hell do we stop that thing?" Vesta marveled.

"I'm trying to convert one of those vines into an anesthetic plant form," Ceres murmured to the others. "If that thing breaths, it will knock it out. Juno, when I signal you, remove all the moisture around the plant so it dries quicker."

"Got it," nodded Juno.

Vesta saw Saturn strain to hold up her barrier. She glanced back for Pallas, hoping to team up to help their fellow Senshi. But Pallas was crouched against the staircase, her arms covering her head.

"Pallas!" hissed Vesta.

"Bad lady!" Pallas mumbled and shook her head. Her eyes were clamped shut. "Bad lady, bad lady!"

"Guess it's on me," muttered Vesta.

Tygos slammed into the barrier once more. Saturn wondered how much longer she could maintain her barrier. Every time Tygos impacted it, a spike seemed to drive itself into her brain.

And then a shadow covered her, Tygos and the area around them. Saturn glanced over her shoulder just in time to see a twenty-five foot tall Tyrannosaurus Rex lunge down. The saurian snapped its razor sharp teeth down around Tygos and bit the creature in half.

* * *

"What's that alarm?" Queen Serenity exclaimed the moment the intruder alarm went off. She, Ami and Luna were still in the Royal Chambers. "Ami-Chan, what's happening?"

"According to reports I'm receiving from Palace Security," Luna reported, a communications earpiece and microphone extended from her collar, "the front gate has been breached by an intruder."

Instantly Ami was on the nearest work station, typing. Moments later, the entire palace was rocked.

"What happened? Did they set off a bomb?" Serenity gasped.

"I've linked to the security cameras in the atrium!" Ami told them. "My goodness! That's Tygos!"

Serenity and Luna both ran over to peer over Ami's shoulder. They could see the Asteroid Senshi engaged in battle with a nightmare from their past.

"I have to go help them!" Serenity cried and began for the door. But Luna planted herself in the Queen's path.

"No, Your Majesty!" snapped the black cat. "You must stay here out of harm's way!"

"But Luna!" Serenity protested.

"Luna is right," Ami said, her henshin stick out. "You cannot risk yourself like that. We know the destruction Tygos is capable of and logically you may be her target. You must stay here out of immediate danger."

"But . . .!"

"Let the Senshi handle it, Your Majesty!" Luna reiterated. "Sailor Mercury, will you stay with Her Majesty? I must coordinate things!"

"I'll stay with her," Mercury nodded. With that, the black cat jetted out the door.

"What do you suppose Talon Umbra wants now?" Serenity wondered.

* * *

Outside the palace, the guards uninjured by the assault of Tygos on the front gate herded the last of the civilian visitors onto the street. As they finished, one of the tourists, a matronly woman visiting from Nobeoka exchanged a knowing glance with a palace guard twenty-five years her junior. The guard returned her conspiratory glance, then went about his business. Leaning on her cane, the woman hobbled down the street toward a bench where she would sit and wait until needed. The guard began heading for the palace.

"Hirano!" he heard and stopped reluctantly. Turning, he found the ranking officer of the gate squadron approaching. "Where are you going?"

"Sir, I wanted to check on what was happening inside the atrium," Hirano reported. "See if there was any way I could help with that thing."

"The Princess's Senshi are engaged with it right now," the squad leader said. "Better if you stay out of their way."

"But Sir, there might be casualties," Hirano began.

"I need you out here. We have to keep other intruders out. Something like this is going to invite the press and the curious. Not to mention the possibility of there being collaborators with that - - thing. Back to your post and maintain your perimeter."

Try as he might, Hirano couldn't make direct eye contact with the squad leader in order to possess him, as Tenera currently possessed Hirano. So Hirano just kept his ground, refusing to move. Knowing human psychology as she did, Tenera figured disobedience would inspire a reaction in the commander that would get her what she wanted.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" the squad leader barked, locking eyes with Hirano in order to reestablish rank dominance. And when they locked eyes, Tenera struck.

* * *

"Ewww!" gasped Ceres as Vesta rose to full height, leaving an obsidian form cleaved at the waist.

"Spit her out, Vesta!" Saturn shouted. "Don't risk being contaminated by her!"

Vesta stared uncomprehending for a moment. Then she felt her jaw being forced open. Despite resistance, Tygos forced the gigantic dinosaur's mouth open and then transformed to mist. The mist traveled down to its severed lower half and reunited, reforming as Tygos moments later.

"Ceres, how are you doing with that anesthetic plant?" Juno murmured.

"Vesta killed it when she bit down," Ceres replied. "I'll have to start over again."

Tygos slammed into Saturn's Silence wall again. Saturn crumpled from the exchange and the barrier fell.

"If you get the chance," Juno shot back.

Tygos took one step forward, then Vesta took a step, bringing her huge right foot down on Tygos with the aim of crushing her. But Tygos caught the foot and stopped its downward motion. Hunching its shoulders, Tygos thrust up, throwing Vesta off balance. The massive dinosaur crashed to the atrium floor, rattling the glass in display cases and the crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling.

Juno responded by ripping up a water pipe from below the floor. The force of the water pressure burst through the marble tiles and hit Tygos squarely. Rather than be bowled over though, Tygos stood firm against the gusher. Then the creature charged forward, though the water, and slammed into Juno. The Senshi was lifted up and slammed into the floor, skidding away. Before Ceres could react, a vicious backhand sent her flying. Only Pallas was left. As Tygos approached her mercilessly, Pallas huddled on the bottom step of the stairwell, her hands over her head, and began crying.

"Perhaps you'd like to take on someone a bit more mature," a contemptuous voice rang out from the top of the stairs. Tygos looked up and found Sailor Neptune standing there. Tygos instantly abandoned Pallas and raced up the stairs with phenomenal speed. When it reached the half way point, Neptune raised her hands and called out "Deep Submerge!"

A cascade of water poured down the stairs seemingly from nowhere. Tygos planted itself to resist, but was swept away by the wave. Carried to the bottom of the stairs, Tygos bobbed in a pool of water that refused to dissipate.

"Perhaps Juno had the right idea," Neptune said coldly as she descended the stairs. "She just didn't have enough water to make it work. Shall we see if you breathe, creature?"

The wave stood pooled in the atrium. Tygos pushed against the edge of the water, trying to push its way free. The water resisted its efforts. But as she drew closer, Neptune saw that her captive wasn't fighting for air, it was fighting to escape and continue its mission. The Senshi felt her control of the wave weakening as Tygos relentlessly pushed to escape. If she couldn't kill it, she hoped to at least contain it. But that was proving to be unlikely. Taking a second to glance to her right, Neptune waved her hand and the wave fell away from Tygos.

"World Shaking!" reverberated in the atrium. Following it was a huge force ball, plowing up marble tiles as it careened toward Tygos. The force impacted the creature and exploded all around it. But Tygos stood unaffected by it, save for her silver hair blowing from the force of the impact.

Without waiting for it to move, Neptune summoned the Deep Aqua Mirror. Pointing the face at Tygos and shouting the power phrase, Neptune launched a crimson beam from the mirror that struck it squarely in the chest. Tygos actually flinched from the impact, staggering back a step and almost doubling over. Then it raised up again and took the beam head on, refusing to flinch again or back down.

From its right, Tygos saw Sailor Uranus rush up. While standing up to Neptune's beam, Tygos swung for Uranus. But Uranus ducked under the swing, slid across Tygos's path under the beam, and slashed at it with her Space Sword. Tygos flinched back again, staggered by the gash across its abdomen. Uranus skidded to a stop and pivoted, ready to make another run, then saw the gash heal itself.

"Space Sword Blaster!" yelled Uranus, throwing deadly energy arcs at the creature. The arcs hit each time, viciously slicing open Tygos. Tygos, though, ignored the wounds and quickly they began healing themselves. Uranus expelled a huff of frustration.

"Too much fighting," they each heard Pallas mumbling as she cowered on the stairs. "Can't win. Too much fighting."

Uranus nodded to Neptune. Neptune acknowledged the gesture. The Deep Aqua Mirror faded from her hand, replaced by a golden violin. Without the beam striking it, Tygos began marching forward at a relentless pace directly toward Neptune.

"Space Turbulence!" shouted Uranus. Immediately the air around Tygos began to swirl and crackle with energy. Tygos stopped advancing, pained by the swirling energy around it. The creature swiped at it with its arm, trying to dispel the effect.

"Submarine Violin Tide!" Neptune announced. She drew a bow over the strings of the golden violin. The sound was low at first, but quickly grew in timber and intensity. When the sound peaked, it shot forward and struck Tygos full on. The combination of attacks bowled the creature over and it landed on the path gouged out of the marble floor by World Shaking. Uranus ran over to Neptune.

"Think that got it?" Uranus asked, glancing warily at Tygos.

"Perhaps," Neptune replied. "But for how long?"

Nodding, Uranus went over and knelt next to Saturn. Saturn was barely conscious and in pain. She brushed the black bangs from Saturn's forehead.

"Still with us, Firefly?" Uranus asked with paternal concern.

"After Helios," Saturn mumbled. "Tell Usa."

As Neptune looked on, Uranus pulled up her Senshi Communicator even as she cradled limp Saturn. As such, neither saw Tygos pick up a chuck of marble and launch it at Neptune until the missile struck her in the head. Neptune spun to the floor and didn't move.

Snarling, Uranus scrambled to her feet and charged Tygos, brandishing the Space Sword. Tygos did the same. As the pair neared impact, Uranus launched herself in a somersault over Tygos, chopping at the demon with her sword. But with inhuman speed, Tygos twisted and seized the sword arm of Uranus by the wrist. Jerking down, Tygos brought Uranus crashing head first into the marble floor.

With Uranus crumpled on the floor and defenseless, Tygos for a moment got the urge to finish her. But the words of Talon Umbra came to her. Uranus was no longer in the way, so Uranus was no longer important. Only her mission was important. Turning, Tygos raced up the staircase toward the living quarters.

Continued in Chapter 4


	4. Legacy of Benevolence

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 4: "Legacy Of Benevolence"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

* * *

By Bill K.

With alarm claxons sounding throughout the palace, Rei Hino arrived at the quarters Helios used in the Crystal Palace. Impatient to allow the environmental computer to identify her, Rei knocked on the door. With what she was feeling, she didn't have the patience for patience.

"Muffin, it's Rei!" she added just in case Usa was reluctant to open the door. But the door hissed open without protest. Sailor Moon greeted her, not Usa, and Helios could be seen behind her.

"Aunt Rei!" Sailor Moon gasped urgently. "It's Tygos!"

The mere mention of the name sent a chill through the priest. For emphasis, Sailor Moon thrust a PDA into Rei's face. On it was security camera images of Tygos battling the Asteroid Senshi. For a moment Rei froze, recalling the memory, still vivid after a thousand years, of being a corrupted puppet to Talon Umbra, the mistress of Tygos. She glanced at Usa and saw the urgency in the girl. Though their last encounter with Talon Umbra and her minions had been three hundred years prior to Usa being born, the girl was an obsessive student of the history of the previous Sailor Moon and her Senshi. She knew everything known about Tygos.

"That explains everything I've been feeling this morning," Rei said, her brow knit with concern. "Probably everything Serenity's been feeling, too. Do you think she's here for Helios? That this is the attack Candide told you about?"

"I picked up some sound of her bragging to Saturn," Sailor Moon told her. "She practically admitted it. But why is she after Helios?"

"With Tygos, it's because Talon Umbra sent her after Helios," Rei frowned. "Why Talon Umbra is suddenly interested, I don't know. It's hard to be specific beyond the motivation that Talon Umbra is a personification of evil on this world." She glanced up at Sailor Moon, who was a good six inches taller than she was. "I'll stay with Helios if you . . ."

"Nothing doing," Sailor Moon maintained. "I'm staying here. If Tygos wants Helios, she'll have to go through me first."

"But your Senshi," Rei argued, "Saturn. They can't beat Tygos."

And Rei instantly read the emotional turmoil her favorite and only adoptive niece was going through.

"Give them a chance, Aunt Rei," she croaked out. "They might surprise you."

* * *

Tygos reached the third floor living quarters and looked around. There was no overt sign as to which of the doors her target was behind. If that's what it took, Tygos would break down every door until it found its target. And nothing and no one would stop it. Arbitrarily it turned right. The first thing it encountered was a palace security guard at the door to one of the dwellings. This was even better. The guard would point out where the target Helios was or suffer for it. Tygos advanced on the guard. The guard turned and Tygos saw no fear in his eyes. Then it saw why.

"You will find your target on the floor above, Sister," the guard smiled and Tygos saw Tenera had possession of this human. "I have already covered most of this floor."

"Tenera," Tygos remarked. "Why do you skulk about? Our Mistress sent me to destroy the being Helios."

"And she sent me to use your clamor as a cloak under which to weave my spell of corruption," the guard answered. "And to succeed when you ultimately fail."

"I will not fail!" Tygos snapped. "I will kill this Helios! And then I will return to our underground lair and kill you for daring to question my ability!"

"And if that happens, Dear Sister, I will gladly die because it means Talon Umbra's will has been empowered."

And the guard smiled at Tygos again. And for a moment Tygos wanted to forget the mission and just squeeze this puppet's neck between its two hands until his head exploded. But the mission was all. Tenera could wait. Tygos turned and headed for the fourth floor.

Tenera savored the triumph for a moment, then returned to work. The guard knocked on the door. A frightened member of the cleaning staff answered and relaxed when she saw it was a palace guard.

"What's going on?" she asked desperately.

"Just some trouble in the front atrium," the guard assured her. "We're getting it under control. Is everyone all right in here?"

"Yes, I . . ." and then her eyes met the guard's.

* * *

Rei didn't have to be psychic to read that the battle in the palace atrium was not going well. All she had to do was see the look on Sailor Moon's face as she watched video from the security optics in the atrium. Helios came up behind her and put his hands on her upper arms.

"Go to them, Maiden," he advised. "I will be all right."

"No, that just gives Tygos a clear path to you," Sailor Moon argued. "It's not the way to go." Sailor Moon pressed her lips together in frustration. "But nothing stops her!" The teen's eyes popped. "She just got past Uranus and Neptune!"

"How bad is it?" Rei inquired.

"I think Neptune got the worst of it," Sailor Moon replied. "It's like this thing feeds on violence!"

"It does," Rei said, speaking from experience. "Violence and anger seems to make it stronger. It's like the more attacks you throw at it, the stronger it gets."

"Then how did you beat it the first time? The history files weren't specific."

"Serenity, of course," Rei shrugged. "She was still Sailor Moon back then. Her response was to try to smother Tygos with love, just like you'd expect."

"And it worked?"

"Not at first. She took a pretty savage blow from Tygos." Admiration began to seep into Rei's expression. "But she wouldn't be deterred. And the power of her spirit overwhelmed Tygos and destroyed her." Rei thought. "Maybe we need to call her in."

Sailor Moon glanced at the PDA. "I'm not sure there's time."

"Then I'll go," Rei said and started for the door. Sailor Moon's hand shot out and stopped her. "I've got a pretty good spiritual presence myself, Muffin."

"Enough to stop her?" Sailor Moon asked.

"We'll find out," Rei said, but Sailor Moon wouldn't let go. "Muffin . . ."

"What if she gets past you?"

"Then you'll stop her."

"What if I don't have enough . . .?"

"Muffin, stop doubting yourself," Rei told her.

"No, Aunt Rei, listen!" Sailor Moon insisted. "If we each take our shot and fail, Helios is practically in her hands! But if we take our shot together . . ."

A smile crept onto the priest's face.

* * *

Cautiously palace security personnel crept into the front atrium. Armed only with shock clubs the security people knew were hopelessly inadequate, the guards entered just the same. Such was their loyalty to Queen Serenity. Inside they found five Sailor Senshi down and another Senshi kneeling over a huge dinosaur, anxiously pushing at the beast's lower jaw.

"Vesta?" sniffled Sailor Pallas, her face puffy and stained with tears. "Please, Vesta, please wake up! Pallas is sorry!"

The dinosaur's eye popped open and looked around furtively as the guards tensed. Looking down, the huge lizard saw Pallas. Instantly the dinosaur transformed back into Sailor Vesta. Without waiting for a response, Pallas buried her face in Vesta's chest.

"Pallas is so sorry!" she wailed hysterically.

"Hey, where'd that demon woman go?" Vesta asked. It was hard to focus, doubly hard with Pallas's shrill cries echoing in her ears.

"Pallas doesn't know!" the Senshi wailed. "Pallas doesn't ever want to see her again!"

"Hey, hey, stop crying," Vesta told her, an armed draped around the teen. "Are you OK? She didn't hurt you, did she?"

Pallas shook her head. "Pallas wanted to help!" Pallas cried. "Pallas wanted to keep the bad lady from hurting everyone! She tried, really she did!" A shuddering sob silenced her for a moment. "BUT PALLAS WAS TOO SCARED! The scary lady was really scary!"

"Shh, it's OK, Pallas," Vesta told her. "You tried. It's all anyone can ask.'

Vesta tried to force herself to her feet, but the room began spinning and she collapsed back on her knees.

"Pallas is so sorry!" Pallas wailed. By now the guards were checking the other fallen Senshi. Ceres was awake and being helped to sit up.

"How you doing, Priss?" Vesta asked as she tried to engage her communicator.

"I"ll feel better after a warm bath," groaned Ceres. "Where's that thing?"

"Princess says it's in the residential levels," Vesta reported. Pallas gave her a wide-eyed look of horror. "She says to stand down. They'll take it."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Ceres replied. "And if anybody can take that thing, Sailor Moon can." She crawled over to Juno. "Juno? How bad is it?"

"I wish I was back in the Amazon, that's how bad," sighed Juno.

"Hey, how soon are those medics going to get down here?" one of the guards called out. He was tending to Sailor Neptune. "She doesn't look so good!"

"Move!" grunted Sailor Uranus, shoving the guard aside. She eased Neptune up and cradled the woman protectively.

"Papa?" they all heard Saturn inquire. Saturn was trying to get up.

"Stay there, Firefly! Wait for the medics!" Uranus snapped. "I've got her."

And then the medical teams emerged from the lifts. They fanned out, tending to everyone who had been injured in the attack. The emergency claxons continued to echo through the cavernous atrium. And one Senshi sat by the staircase, her legs pulled to her chest, consumed with guilt.

* * *

Crisply King Endymion emerged from the room that stored his massive computer. His cloak swirling behind him, the monarch strode purposefully down the corridor. Quickly he was joined by Luna, scampering behind him.

"Your Majesty, please come with me!" the black cat called after him. "I must conduct you to a place of safety!"

"Is there a safe place with that entity roaming the palace at will?" Endymion said. He didn't slow down. "It got through the Senshi in the atrium. It'll attack Helios next, and my daughter. And possibly my wife after that."

"Your Majesty," Luna began.

"I'm the next line of defense, Luna," Endymion cut her off without breaking stride. "I can't shirk my responsibilities for the sake of personal safety."

"But the country needs you!" argued the cat. "The world!"

"Usa can take over if she has to," he replied. "She can cope with just about anything."

Stationing himself at the head of the stairs, Endymion glanced at his PDA, even as he could hear the footsteps of Tygos echo up the stairwell. The screen was split. One shot showed Serenity and Sailor Mercury in the Royal Chambers. Another showed him the remains of the atrium and the fallen Senshi there. The third was the residence corridor with Sailor Moon and Rei Hino positioned at one of the doors.

"I'll keep you all safe," Endymion said. His grey tuxedo transformed into black armor. Endymion drew his sword.

"Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus are on their way, Your Majesty," Luna advised him.

"Hopefully they won't be needed," Endymion said grimly. "Luna, I think you should find a safe place. I'll call you when it's over."

The cat hesitated, then firmed with resolution. "Yes, Your Majesty. And good hunting to you."

The cat ran off. Endymion turned to face the stairs. He could feel Tygos getting closer. Then his PDA signaled.

"Pop, where are you?" his daughter asked.

"I'm at the stairs to Residence Level 4," he told her. "I'm about to confront Tygos."

"Let it through, Pop!"

"Let it through?"

"Aunt Rei and I have a plan! Don't risk yourself! Let Tygos through!"

Endymion looked down the stairs. Memories of a precocious pink-haired four year old in a blue sailor dress, bouncing on his shoulders as he walked, the Luna Ball hovering over their right shoulder came flooding over him.

"All right, Honey," Endymion said, willing himself to believe in her. "I'll be near by in case you need me."

"You always are, Pop," she said.

Endymion sheathed his sword and reluctantly moved off.

"You're sure about this?" Rei asked as she and Sailor Moon stationed themselves in front of the door to Helios's quarters.

"From everything I've read and everything you told me about Tygos, I think it's our best shot," Sailor Moon replied. "Violence isn't the way to beat Tygos. It's obvious by what you told me about your first encounter. That's something you should know."

"It's not something in my life that I want to remember," Rei said. She didn't look at Sailor Moon, but Sailor Moon glanced at her.

"I have every confidence in you, Maiden," Helios said from the room. "I still wish that you would let me aid you in my own defense. I am not without resources."

"Then keep those resources in reserve," Sailor Moon told him, "in case this blows up. But I'm glad you have confidence in me."

Helios touched her shoulder, then retreated into his quarters. The priest and the Princess took a steadying breath. And Tygos turned the corner. Spotting them, the onyx being began to sprint toward them.

"The vaunted Sailor Moon!" Tygos snarled as it ran, silver hair trailing behind her. "Are you prepared to die this day?"

Trying to filter out Tygos, her charge and her taunts, Rei pressed a sutra to her forehead and began softly chanting. When her spiritual energy was completely focused in the sutra, Rei pulled it from her forehead.

"Akuryo taisan!" she shrieked, flinging the sutra with as much force as she could muster.

The sutra shot across the distance between them like a gunshot. Tygos, in its arrogance, did nothing to dodge it. The sutra struck Tygos between the white slits that passed for eyes. Tygos stumbled to one knee twenty feet from them.

"Your sutra means nothing to me," Tygos rumbled as it forced itself back to its feet. "I am an aspect of Talon Umbra herself! Your spiritual presence is dwarfed by that of my Mistress! No single sutra can stop me!"

"Well there's more where that came from!" Rei snarled.

Flinging her arm forward, Rei launched a rapid-fire barrage of sutras, all aimed at Tygos and all striking true. The creature again went to one knee and braced itself against a wall. It seemed staggered by the spiritual assault upon it.

"Not enough, priest!" Tygos roared, forcing itself back to its feet. "You do not have the power to stop me! You can only wound me, and nothing short of death itself can stop me from doing as my mistress commands!"

Tygos took one step forward.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon shouted, raising the Moon Tier above her head.

Pink energy swirled around the talisman. Sailor Moon pointed the Moon Tier at Tygos and fired without hesitation. Tygos, sensing the energy possessed by the Moon Tier, tried to avoid it. But the energy tracked the creature, and it was hampered by the sutras which clung to it. Sailor Moon's attack hit Tygos full on and the unnatural aspect of violence toppled backwards onto the floor.

Tygos shrieked as the tendrils of pink energy wrapped around its body and constricted, shrieked as if it were bathing in acid. The screams were so piercing and inhuman that Sailor Moon was momentarily taken aback.

"Don't let up, Sailor Moon," Rei advised her, grasping her wrist for emphasis. "It isn't human. Don't feel pity for it."

Nodding, Sailor Moon refocused and bore down.

"My Mistress!" Tygos cried out as the pink energy began dissolving its obsidian body. "I have failed you!" It's face seemed to express a moment of regret. "And so . . . I die."

And Tygos faded like a bad dream.

"Well done, Muffin," Rei beamed proudly. Sailor Moon, though, seemed unable to believe she had succeeded. She continued to stare at where Tygos had disappeared. Behind her, Helios emerged from his quarters.

"Maiden," he smiled, "you have once more proven your power and your ability. You have my thanks."

Sailor Moon responded by wrapping her arms around Helios and clinging to him.

"Endymion," Rei said over her Senshi Communicator, "the crisis is past. Tygos has been dealt with."

"So I see," Endymion responded over the communicator. "Thank you, Rei. And thank Usa for me."

"Don't thank me yet, Pop," Sailor Moon turned to face Rei and the communicator. "We dealt with Tygos, but I don't imagine Talon Umbra is just going to give up. This isn't over."

Continued in Chapter 5


	5. Suspicious Eyes

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 5: "Suspicious Eyes"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Why isn't Ami here?" Haruka Tenoh demanded. She was in the palace infirmary, with Hotaru, as doctors worked on Sailor Neptune. The lead doctor, a fortyish man of Japanese descent, momentarily considered ordering the two family members out.

"Dr. Mizuno is tending to Queen Serenity," Dr. Ishikawa said. "If you'd rather have another doctor, this patient will have to wait. We're a little backed up at the moment."

Haruka looked around the infirmary. Beds were full of security personnel and innocent bystanders who had just happened to get in the way of the assault Tygos made on the palace. Many more, including several of the Senshi, had been treated and sent home to convalesce.

"Papa, I know Dr. Ishikawa," Hotaru pleaded. "He's very good!"

"Yeah, I suppose," Haruka muttered in frustration. "Sorry, Doc. Guess I'm just a little worried. And if Hotaru here vouches for you, I guess you're OK."

Ishikawa didn't acknowledge the compliment. He was busy concentrating on a three dimensional hologram of the interior of Sailor Neptune's skull.

"There's no sign of trauma to either of the lobes," he told his nurse. "No sub-cranial hemorrhage. The orbital bone is fractured from the impact of the marble fragment, but it's a clean fracture. No bone fragments to worry about."

"That's good?" Haruka asked Hotaru.

"That's very good, Papa," Hotaru allowed herself a pensive smile.

"So when's she going to wake up?"

"When she's ready," Dr. Ishikawa remarked. "I could give her a stimulant to rouse her, as I don't even see any signs of concussion. But I'd rather not do that unless it's absolutely necessary. Besides, sleep will do her more good than answering a bunch of questions."

"Dr. Ishikawa, can we stay?" Hotaru asked.

"Yes. Just don't disturb her. And Tomoe-San, please try to use your training to watch for any negative signs? And notify the desk immediately?"

"I will, Dr. Ishikawa," Hotaru nodded. Haruka felt a sudden sense of pride.

The elevator door to the floor hissed open and immediately everyone on the floor felt the overwhelming aura of Queen Serenity. They all turned to her and saw her glide out of the lift, Ami following behind her. The Queen was immediately saddened and horrified by all of the suffering she saw.

"No," she shook her head. "This won't do. This won't do at all."

"They're receiving the best medical care, Serenity," Ami remarked.

"No, of course they are. I didn't mean that," Serenity said. "What put them here. If Talon Umbra wants to cause all of this, just to kill someone, then I'll just have to put a stop to it."

"Do you plan to confront Talon Umbra directly?" Ami asked warily.

"If that's what it takes, I . . ." The Queen stopped. She turned suddenly. Ami could see she was focused on one of the nurses. Serenity glided up to her. The nurse took several steps back and seemed intimidated by the Queen. She backed up against a wall and Serenity continued to approach until she was just a foot from the woman. "You," Serenity whispered.

The nurse looked like a caged animal. And that was before the Imperium Silver Crystal appeared from its warp and hovered between them. The jewel flared silver. The nurse shrieked as if her soul was being ripped from her body. And then a black shape, like mist, expelled from the woman's body. It swirled chaotically in the grip of the silver energy, then screamed again and was gone.

"Tenera!" Ami gasped.

* * *

In the quarters shared by the Asteroid Senshi, Cere and Jun looked on pensively as Ves squatted next to Palla-Palla. The teen was sitting in her doll corner, staring at the wall, her knees pulled to her chin.

"Come on, Palla-Palla," Ves tried. "Stop beating yourself up about what went down in the atrium."

"But," Palla-Palla whimpered, "Ves-Ves is hurt. And it's all Palla-Palla's fault! And so are Jun-Jun and Cere-Cere! And it's all because of Palla-Palla!"

"This?" scoffed Ves. "I been hurt worse in bar fights. Don't sweat it."

"It's because Palla-Palla was too afraid to fight!" Palla-Palla cried.

"Look, that lady handled two elders without breaking a sweat," Jun offered. "Maybe you couldn't have done anything - - except maybe get hurt, too."

"Palla-Palla should have gotten hurt," Palla-Palla spat.

"Hey, none of that!" Ves barked. "That's a load, and if you don't know that, you better learn it! Nobody's mad at you and nobody blames you!"

"They should," Palla-Palla squeaked.

"I said . . .!"

"Ves, enough," sighed Cere. She squatted down on the other side of Palla-Palla. "Do you know what it was about her that made you so afraid? Because you've been scared before, but it never stopped you from doing your duty. Do you know why this was different?"

Palla-Palla sat and stared at the floor. It seemed like she didn't want to answer because answering would bring up memories of Tygos, memories she didn't want to experience again. And, with her limited vocabulary, how to explain it anyway? But Cere and Ves and Jun weren't going to go away. She ground her fists into her eyes.

"P-Palla-Palla could see into the bad lady's head," Palla-Palla began haltingly. "It was like staring into a big hole - - of nothing. But something was there. And it," and she sniffed, "and it was going to get Palla-Palla. And it was going to hurt Palla-Palla. Hurt her bad. She couldn't see anything, but Palla-Palla could hear her thoughts: mean and angry - - like Ves-Ves gets sometimes. But a million, million times worse!" Palla-Palla covered her head with her hands. "Palla-Palla is sorry! But she didn't want to die! NOT LIKE THAT!"

"You're not going to die!" snarled Ves, her arms protectively around Palla-Palla. "Not as long as I'm breathing!"

"You can't beat her, Ves-Ves," Palla-Palla whimpered.

"The Princess can," Cere assured her. "She did."

"Not the bad lady," Palla-Palla said, her demeanor haunted. "What's inside her."

The three Amazons looked at each other with confusion and just a hint of trepidation.

* * *

"Well," Usa said into her PDA, Cere on the screen, "maybe Aunt Ami could think of something to do for her." She was still in the quarters of Helios, the Dream Guardian behind her listening.

"Maybe," Cere replied. "Whatever she saw scared her pretty bad. But maybe Mizuno-Sensei can help." Cere paused to consider her next thought. "You don't suppose this isn't over?"

"It's not," Usa shook her head. "You four need to be on your toes. From what Aunt Rei told me about Talon Umbra, she's not going to stop coming for Helios just because Tygos got beaten."

"You suppose that's what she saw?" Cere wondered. "This Talon Umbra? Jun looked her up in the history records. She sounds like the tales the nuns used to tell us at Quatro Pi about O Diabo. And I stopped believing in him when I was six."

"Well I can't really speak to Christian theology," Usa demurred, "but Talon Umbra is real enough. And if you four thought Tygos was tough . . ."

"Charming," scowled Cere. "If she does attack, maybe," and Cere hesitated, "Palla-Palla should sit this one out? I'm not sure how much use she'd be in her state."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," murmured Usa.

"Guard Captain Ishii requests entry," announced the environmental control computer. Helios moved toward the door.

"Better let me get it, Helios. Got to go, Cere," Usa said.

"As you say, my valiant protector," Helios replied with a wry smile.

After transforming, Sailor Moon wrinkled her nose at him. She hit the manual button to release the door lock. The door hissed open. Standing there was one of the palace guards.

"Just wanted to check on you and the occupant, Princess," Ishii said, taking a very non-threatening position.

"We're OK. How are your fellow guards doing?" Sailor Moon asked. Ishii was about to reply.

"Maiden! Stand away from him!" Helios demanded urgently.

Sailor Moon started to turn to Helios, her confusion putting her off guard. Suddenly the guard lashed out with his fist and caught the Senshi square on the jaw with enough force to knock her to the floor. Helios focused on Ishii as the guard lunged into the room. Then they locked eyes.

* * *

Rei Hino had been in the shrine inside of the palace, trying to meditate in order to possibly gain some sort of divine insight into Talon Umbra's plan. But even after a thousand years, she was never that good at meditation. Certainly not as good as she expected herself to be.

"Concentrate!" she admonished herself. "Fix on your center and allow it to fill your entire being! Honestly, you'd think after a thousand years . . .!"

"Hey, Rei! What's with the new door out front?" Minako exclaimed as she and Makoto entered the shrine. "You go away for one afternoon and everyone starts remodeling!"

"Wonderful," muttered the priest.

"Um, we're not interrupting anything, are we?" Makoto asked. "Because I can drag loudmouth here out by her hair if I have to."

"I'd like to see you try," Minako smiled a challenge at her friend.

"Ami filled you in on what happened, didn't she?" Rei asked. "Well I was just trying to meditate to maybe get a clue to what Talon Umbra is up to. But I'm not getting anything beyond that general unease I've been feeling all day."

"Boy, that's one lady we owe big time," frowned Minako.

"You said it, Blondie," scowled Makoto. "All I want is one shot at her, on even terms. I'd make her sorry she ever . . .!"

At once, Rei seized her head and bent over, practically touching her crossed legs with her forehead. Her two friends gasped in alarm.

"What is it, Rei?" Minako demanded. "Delayed message from spook central?"

"That's why," Rei said softly. She sprang to her feet and ran to the door. Minako and Makoto rushed to join her as Rei whipped open the door to the shrine and looked out into the corridor of the palace.

"What is it?" Makoto asked. All she and Minako saw was a corridor filled with guards, maintenance workers, and other palace workers and residents, all going about their day.

"That's why I couldn't concentrate!" Rei fumed. "They're possessed! I can feel them!"

"Who's possessed?" Minako gasped.

"ALL OF THEM!" Rei snapped, flinging her hand out at the palace workers and residents. "Tenera! She has them ALL!"

The palace civilians stopped and looked at the three women framed by the shrine door. And they smiled viciously. A chill ran down each of the three friend's spines.

* * *

"It's just as you theorized," Endymion reported. Ami was on the infirmary computer in her office, with Serenity looking over her shoulder. "While everyone was occupied with Tygos, a guard began going from unit to unit in residence level three. Each time, he'd make eye contact with a resident, then go to the next unit and do the same. The possessed resident would then possess the rest of the household or move on to other units. Security monitors recorded it all."

"How many do you suppose there are?" Serenity asked.

"Given the amount of time that has passed and the number infected from residence level three alone," Ami mentally calculated, "it's highly likely that almost the entire palace has fallen under Tenera's sway."

"Usa," Serenity swallowed. She pulled out her PDA and hit a preset. "Ami, Usa's not answering!"

"I'll check it out!" Endymion exclaimed and logged out. Ami turned to Serenity, but the Queen was already headed for the door.

The door hissed open and Serenity took one step out, then fell back as two men tackled her and flung her to the floor. A woman jumped on the pile and closed her hands around Serenity's throat.

* * *

"Maintenance worker Yoshida desires entry," the environmental control computer said suddenly. Ves, Jun and Cere all turned to the door with a perplexed expression.

"Anybody call maintenance?" Cere asked as she moved toward the door. She was about to tell the computer to open the door.

"DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!" Palla-Palla shrieked in mortal terror. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks and turned to the teen. But Palla-Palla again had her head between her knees and her arms folded over it.

"What's the matter?" Ves asked, kneeling next to Palla-Palla. Both her and Jun's suspicions were aroused. "You hear something?"

"Attention all residents," the environmental control computer announced. "The palace is under a Condition One Security Lock-down. All doors and points of entry have been sealed. Please remain in your area until the security protocol has been rescinded."

"What's going on now?" Jun wondered aloud. "I thought we were clear of the security alert!"

"Usa said this Talon Umbra was going to try again," Cere reasoned. "She must be trying again."

"Then she's going to need our help," Ves said and started to head for the door. But a hand shot out and grabbed her by the belt of her pressure pants. Ves turned and found Palla-Palla desperately hanging on.

"Please don't go out there, Ves-Ves!" wailed Palla-Palla. "Please!"

She was about to respond when an alert came over everyone's Senshi Communicator.

"To all Senshi," they heard Luna say. "The palace is under attack from a creature who can possess the minds of others. Most of the palace has fallen under its control. If you engage, do not use harmful force if possible. And DO NOT under any circumstances look anyone directly in the eye."

"How are we supposed to fight them if we can't even look at them?" Cere exclaimed.

"Watch their belts! Watch their shoes! Just take out as many as you can!" Ves barked. She pulled out of Palla-Palla's grip. "Sorry, Palla-Palla, we got to go! You stay here! Vesta Star Power Make Up!"

As her sisters transformed, Vesta engaged the Senshi Manual Override that allowed a Senshi to bi-pass the security lock. The door hissed open and Vesta spotted a pair of legs belonging to the maintenance worker who had been at the door. Shooting forward, she drove her shoulder into his middle and slammed him against the far wall. The worker sagged to the floor.

"Fauna Combination, Grizzly Bear Bat!" shouted Vesta.

As Juno and Ceres watched in fascination and horror, their sister Senshi mutated into a seven foot tall grizzly bear with membranous scalloped wings under her arms and peculiarly elongated ears. Her first move after mutating was to lunge at Ceres. The Senshi let out a surprised squeal. But Vesta sailed past her and slammed into a pair of cafeteria workers.

"Watch your ass!" Vesta snapped at Ceres. "If you get possessed, I'm not going to go easy on you!" And she turned and headed for the stairwell to Residence Level Four, emitting shrill cries so she didn't have to use her eyes.

"I DEFINITELY need that hot bath," Ceres exclaimed.

"Come on!" Juno said, heading down the corridor with her eyes glued to the floor.

* * *

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

The ringing proclamation was quickly followed by a ball of electricity that fired off from Sailor Jupiter and shot across the hall from the shrine to the nearest possessed person. The electricity enveloped him, then jumped from him to the people near enough to him to conduct. Bunched as the crowd was, there were quickly fifteen people shaking in the grip of the electric attack. When the charge spent itself, the people all dropped limply to the floor.

"Nice shooting there, Tex!" Sailor Venus quipped. "Venus Love Me Chain!" A golden chain shot out and snared a woman who hadn't been close enough to get shocked.

"We have to get to Serenity!" Mars proclaimed.

"Just on general principles or is there a specific reason?" Venus asked.

"Come on!" Mars snapped. She bolted forward, snapping a sutra off as she ran that incapacitated a possessed member of the cleaning staff.

"Just asking!" Venus shot back, snaring another person with her chain. As they turned the corner, though, they found the corridor blocked by a dozen people, all leering malevolently at them.

"I got this!" Jupiter shouted. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!"

"We've got more company," Venus barked as Jupiter launched her attack. Glancing quickly behind her, Mars saw another dozen people blocking the other end of the corridor and beginning to advance on them.

* * *

King Endymion worked his way through the corridor at, for him, a snail's pace. He tried to work his was toward Residence Level Four, where his daughter and Helios were. But the halls were filled with palace workers and residents, all clutching at him, trying to make eye contact and take possession of the King.

He'd already dispatched close to forty, using his rose attack. The roses weren't strong enough to free the poor souls from Tenera's power, but were strong enough to immobilize them. The halls were littered with people collapsed upon each other. One hand shielding his eyes, Endymion fought his way through to get to his daughter. He wondered if he had a set limit of roses, because there didn't seem to be a set limit of corrupted people opposing him.

And he wondered about Serenity. He'd felt her distress just after leaving to go to Helios and Sailor Moon. The urge was there to break off and go to her. But his daughter needed him, too. He could feel it. And he was closer to her. Praying he'd made the right choice, Endymion pushed on.

Continued in Chapter 6


	6. The Depths Of Evil

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 6: "The Depths Of Evil"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Maiden! Stand away from him!" Helios demanded urgently.

Sailor Moon started to turn to Helios, her confusion putting her off guard. Suddenly the guard lashed out with his fist and caught the Senshi square on the jaw with enough force to knock her to the floor. Helios focused on Ishii as he lunged into the room. Then they locked eyes.

"No, foul creature," Helios said as his crystal horn began to glow. "You do not work your will upon the Guardian of Pleasant Dreams."

A kaleidoscopic beam of light shot from the point of his horn and bathed Ishii from head to foot. The guard stiffened, his face twisting in agony. The man began to double over, resisting as best he could the influence of the energy surrounding him. He emitted a strangled cry and sank to his knees.

Sailor Moon looked on, her senses still swimming. She thought she saw a black mist rising from the guard. Yet the mist seemed to be struggling to remain, tenaciously clinging to the man. For a moment she wondered if she was hallucinating it all. Then the mist was torn away. The guard dropped to the floor, unconscious. The mist seemed to hover in the air, then swirled and coalesced into a female form, onyx save for two white slits for eyes and a mane of purple hair. The creature struggled to escape the energy without success.

"Maiden!" Helios said sharply. "Are you well enough to act? I can contain this demonic presence, but I do not have the power to dispel it!"

"Just hold her there, Helios," Sailor Moon replied.

Pulling herself to her feet, the Senshi summoned the Moon Tier. The aspect of Tenera continued to fight to get free of the rainbow cocoon in which it was enveloped. Fighting back anger, Sailor Moon pointed the Moon Tier and made contact with the Pink Crystal.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

Pink energy shot out, easily passing through the rainbow cocoon. It began swirling around Tenera's doppelganger and the creature went rigid. It howled in agony as the restorative power of the pink energy covered it. The screams echoed down the corridors, causing possessed residents to stop and turn toward the sound. After a final howl, the creature's cries died in its throat and it dissolved into nothing. Immediately Sailor Moon lunged for Helios and gathered him into her arms.

"Are you OK?" she asked, her voice quavering with emotion.

"I am unharmed, Maiden," Helios assured her. "And you?"

"Nothing more than I deserved for being caught off-guard," Sailor Moon whimpered. "Helios, if she had hurt you . . .!"

"Maiden," Helios interrupted. "I fear we have not won yet."

She looked at him, then turned and looked over her shoulder. A dozen residents, all with malevolent expressions, were approaching the residence quarters from down the hall.

* * *

Serenity felt the hands closed around her throat, cutting off her air. She heard Ami's frantic exclamation of fear and surprise, then an even more frantic invocation of her transformation phrase. The Queen felt sorrow for disturbing Ami like that. And she felt the dark, disgustingly familiar energy radiating off of the woman, a kindly mother of three, who choked her and the men, two cafeteria workers, one of whom always baked her sweet rolls, holding her down. How she wished she could make it so they never experienced this.

But she was too busy being strangled at the moment.

And just like that, the weight of the woman and the hands around Serenity's throat disappeared. For a moment, she wondered if the crystal had done it. Then she looked up in time to see Sailor Uranus seize the two men by their shirt collars and violently throw them off. Uranus turned and grasped Serenity by the hands, pulling her to her feet.

"You OK, Dumpling?" Uranus asked with intimidating intensity.

"Yes, I," Serenity began. Then she pointed. "Uranus, look out! They're coming back!"

"World Shaking!" Uranus snapped, throwing a force bubble at the two cooks and the mother of three and slamming them into a far wall.

"Uranus, please don't hurt them!" Serenity admonished. "They're not responsible!"

"They're a threat, Dumpling!" Uranus responded.

"As much as I sympathize with their plight, logic concludes that they are a clear and present danger and must be restrained until they can be cured," Mercury said. Her visor was down and her computer was out. "I don't have specific numbers, but I would estimate the palace is ninety-eight percent possessed. And there are beings leaving the palace perimeter, no doubt to infect others."

"Then there's only one thing to do," Serenity responded.

"You're not going to surrender, are you?" Uranus asked pointedly.

But Serenity crossed her hands over her chest and passed through the floor like a wraith. Uranus and Mercury looked at each other in confusion. Just then Saturn ran in.

"Papa, can you watch Mama?" Saturn asked. "I have to see if Usa is all right!"

"You're not going anywhere through that!" Uranus replied sternly. "I'm not running the risk of you getting possessed!"

"Papa!" Saturn protested. But Uranus wouldn't budge.

* * *

Back on Residence Level Four, Helios had trapped the advancing residents in his rainbow beam. Sailor Moon had invoked the power of the Moon Tier. As Serenity passed through the ceiling and landed behind them, the halls echoed with the agonized screams of the residents. When the aspects of Tenera were finally ripped from them, the residents slumped to the floor while swirling black mist mixed with purple threads dissipated.

Serenity was about to speak when she noticed her daughter staring furiously at the fallen residents who had been corrupted by Tenera. Among them was a five year old girl.

"I know, Honey," Serenity said, putting her hand on the daughter she was only chest high to now. "But anger will dilute your power and we're going to need it."

"Five years old," Sailor Moon hissed through clenched teeth. "Do you know what she's going to have to live with - - for the rest of her life?"

"I know. I'll," Serenity offered, "see if I can do something about it later. But we need to stop Tenera now. And I need your help, Honey."

Sailor Moon looked at her mother, surprised. Then she became resolute and nodded. She and Serenity joined hands. Helios watched them close their eyes simultaneously. Their auras grew, the Queen's silver and Sailor Moon's pink, and mingled. As the Imperium Silver Crystal emerged from the warp in Serenity's chest, Helios saw Sailor Moon's expression twist with exertion. While Serenity remained placid, Sailor Moon's arms began to quiver.

An explosion of silver light radiated out from mother and daughter, forcing Helios to look away. The light encompassed the hall, then the residence floor itself. The light continued to expand, to the floor above and below, rising and falling until the Crystal Palace and the surrounding grounds were completely blanketed. As the light expanded, shrieks of pain and terror began to sound throughout the building until they built into a chorus of agony.

Then the light dissipated. With it, the screams were stilled. Helios looked back. Sailor Moon was on her knees, panting, while Queen Serenity knelt next to her and steadied her.

"Usa?" Serenity asked.

"Just winded, Mom," gasped the Senshi. "I don't think that crystal likes me."

"It likes you," Serenity smiled. "It just thinks you talk back too much."

Sailor Moon flashed the Queen a tired smirk.

Four sets of footsteps rapidly echoed through the corridor. Serenity and Sailor Moon looked toward the sound, momentarily fearing that their efforts hadn't fully succeeded. But it was King Endymion running down the hall, and a few paces behind him were three of the Asteroid Senshi. Endymion reached the spot where his wife and daughter were and crushed the Queen to his body. Serenity cooed with happiness, while Sailor Moon regained her feet. When she was upright, Endymion reached out and pulled her to him as well.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner," Endymion said and both women could hear the undercurrent of fear in his voice, fear of once again being alone.

"It's OK, Pop. We handled it," Sailor Moon said. "Well, Mom handled it. I was just along for the ride."

"Don't say that," Serenity admonished her. "I couldn't have done it without you. Your extra energy and focus allowed the Crystal to cover the entire palace grounds and free everyone."

"But it was so hard," Sailor Moon said, her demeanor less than confident. "The Crystal is just so, well, intimidating - - even more now than it was when I was four."

"I know," Serenity smiled and her daughter felt that she really did understand. "But you handled it. And you'll get better at it. I'm sure of it."

"So am I," Endymion added. Sailor Moon felt herself flushing. Fortunately for her, her parents moved off and her Senshi moved in.

"I'm assuming that was you and the Queen behind that big ball of silver light?" Juno asked. Sailor Moon nodded. "Well, it worked. I just hope they don't remember what they went through."

Sailor Moon didn't respond. She didn't know for sure, but whenever she asked her "aunts" about the incident when she was younger, none of them wanted to talk about it.

"So is it over?" Vesta asked bluntly.

"I wouldn't bet on it," Sailor Moon frowned. "This is two failures. If she stays true to form, Talon Umbra herself will be next."

"We ought to find where this woman is," Vesta recommended. "Take the fight to her. Put her down before she can mount an attack."

"That would not be a good idea," Endymion said from the other side of the hall. "Talon Umbra is far more powerful than any of you imagine. Think of her on a scale of at least as powerful as Nehelenia - - possibly more powerful. You'd be walking into a buzz saw."

"So we just wait?" challenged Vesta. "And what the Hell is a buzz saw?"

"I see what he's saying," Sailor Moon said. "Don't throw yourself against a fortified stronghold. Fortify your stronghold and make the enemy throw themself against it."

"See," Endymion nodded. "I've read Sun Tsu, too."

"And if this woman is Nehelenia-level, that might be the best way to handle it," Ceres agreed. Vesta scowled, but she didn't argue. Just then they spotted Saturn running up.

"Sailor Moon! Are you all right?" Saturn exclaimed. She reached her friend and the two hugged.

"Yeah, just a few bruises," Sailor Moon replied. "How is Sailor Neptune?"

"She's awake!" beamed Saturn. "She woke up just after the silver light passed through. I think that's what did it!"

Sailor Moon glanced at her mother and Serenity beamed proudly back. Then she noticed something.

"Saturn?" Serenity ventured. "What happened to your glaive?"

"Tygos shattered the handle," Saturn admitted. "It's probably still laying in the atrium."

Serenity extended her hand. In a swirl of silver, the head of the glaive appeared in her hand. Not expecting the weight of the blade, the Queen almost dropped it before she awkwardly recovered. Then, using her other hand, Serenity extended the hand out from the blade, silver particles swirling in its wake. The particles solidified into a new handle. Gently Serenity presented it to the awe-struck Sailor Saturn. Then her hand went to her head.

"Oh," Serenity exclaimed. "I think I need a cup of tea."

"I'll get it for you," Endymion said, supporting her with an arm around her lower back. The couple headed for the lift.

"And a cookie?" Serenity asked.

"And a cookie," Endymion replied.

"Two cookies?"

"You can have the whole bag."

"Oh, I knew there was a reason I loved you!"

As they boarded the lift, they found Mars, Jupiter and Venus on it. As the doors closed, familiar exclamations could be heard.

"So now what?" Juno asked.

"Well I'm staying here," Sailor Moon declared. "I'm not leaving Helios's side until I'm sure Talon Umbra has been dealt with."

"Well I'm staying with you," Saturn responded. They glanced at the Asteroids and it was clear they were torn between duty and loyalty.

"Why don't you three go back and see if you can help Palla-Palla," Sailor Moon told them.

"You're sure?" Juno asked.

"Just stay alert in case something else happens," the Princess advised them. The three nodded and headed off.

"Well," Helios remarked, "I am not used to entertaining this many people. I shall try to make your stay as comfortable as I can."

* * *

The door to their quarters hissed open. The three Amazon refugees peeked in, anxiously looking around for Palla-Palla. The room was empty.

"Palla-Palla!" Ves yelled. Immediately Jun headed for the door to their sister's bedroom. "Where'd she go? You don't suppose those possessed people got her?"

"Hard to think she'd even open the door, as scared as she was," Cere reasoned. "And there's no evidence that the door's been forced open."

"She's not in her room," Jun reported. "Ves, check yours, in case she went in there." Ves nodded. Cere looked at her quizzically. "Ves has always been her protector. Maybe she'd feel safer in there."

"I'll go check mine," Cere said. Jun did the same.

"She's not there!" Ves exclaimed, returning to the central living area. Cere and Jun were emerging from their rooms. "What the hell happened to her?"

"Ves, don't get excited," Cere told her.

"Excited, MY ASS!" Ves snarled, heading for the door. "I'm going to find her, and if someone's got her - - well, they're going to wish they never knew her!"

* * *

"Wow," Saturn goggled after hearing Sailor Moon and Helios relate their confrontation with Tenera's corrupted puppets. "Helios, I didn't know you could do that."

"It is the merest refraction of light," he shrugged, "filtered through the prism of my crystal horn and infused with the purity of pleasant dreams. Such things are an anathema to those under the sway of Tenera. Purity of heart, of thought and of deed is the key to defeating the minions of darkness."

"That must be why we failed against Tygos," Saturn mused. "We were fighting violence with violence."

"Quite true," nodded Helios. "One such as Tygos feeds upon the anger and violence thrown against it. To oppose Tygos with violence is to make Tygos stronger. To oppose Tenera with anything save truth and purity of motive is to make Tenera stronger."

"So wait," Saturn injected. "If you oppose Tygos by attacking her, you make her stronger?"

"Tygos and Tenera are more 'it' than 'her', Sailor Saturn," Helios replied, "but your assertion is correct."

"But if you don't attack, she's just going to attack you," Saturn continued, "and with her - - it's - - strength, you'll end up battered into submission or worse. Right?"

"The possibility exists," Helios conceded.

"Then," Sailor Moon pondered, "how do you beat her - - it? Not all of us are Mom and have the Silver Crystal in their chest."

"You can always stand aside, Maiden," Helios suggested. This surprised both Sailor Moon and Saturn.

"But then," sputtered Sailor Moon, "she wins!"

"If life is more precious than an ideal of peace, of harmony, then yes," Helios replied. The two Senshi stared at him in utter confusion. "Maiden, evil will sometimes have more power than virtue. Evil collects power, hoards it, steals it, to use to perpetuate itself because it has nothing else. Fear, violence, hatred will all start to feed upon itself and extinguish for lack of sustenance. Virtue has faith where evil has none. Virtue has strength which evil will try to steal. Some will fall, sustained as they are only by faith, and may live on in the reward created by that faith. Some will fall before superior force, because to renounce that faith for the reward of a continued existence supplicant to evil is repellent to them. Others will forsake their faith and survive in a hell of their own making. But in this war of attrition, virtue will win out if faith is not forsaken," and he looked down, "even in death."

"So you're saying," Sailor Moon frowned, "basically it's better to be a dead hero than a live coward?"

"Um," Helios hesitated, "I think you over-simplify, Maiden."

"That's so deep," Saturn said, mesmerized by Helios.

"Maiden, you think the Imperium Silver Crystal gives your mother her power," Helios said. "I claim that the Crystal is merely a focus, a focus for her spirit, her faith, her belief in the innate goodness of everyone, and that belief focused through the crystal gives her power. Perhaps, and I mean no criticism, it is why you struggle so with it. Your faith in others is not at the level of the Queen's. If we were to face one like Talon Umbra and be struck down, it would not be because of superior power, but because of inferior belief."

"An interesting theory," came a serpentine voice from the shadows of the room in the far corner, farthest from where the light could reach. "Shall we test it?"

Emerging from the shadow was a woman, vaguely Asian in appearance, with long flowing brown hair and a tight-fitting sleeveless green dress with gold trim and a gold dragon embroidered upon it. Though none of the room's occupants had ever seen her before, they all seemed to know at once that it was Talon Umbra.

Continued in Chapter 7


	7. The Devil Has A Manager

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 7: "The Devil Has A Manager"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"You don't honestly think we're done with this yet, do you?" Makoto asked.

She was seated in the room Luna, Artemis and Diana used to monitor the world and coordinate response to it. Diana was off conversing with Sailor Pluto, leaving Luna and Artemis to debrief Rei, Makoto and Minako about what had happened in the palace. Ami was still in the infirmary, treating patients and keeping a watchful eye on Sailor Neptune.

"Of course not," quipped Minako. "What's a horror film without a third act?"

"If only we knew what Talon Umbra planned," Luna mused, then looked suspiciously at Minako, "OTHER than ending the life of Helios."

"You're good," Minako grinned at her.

"All my attempts at divination have failed so far," Rei sighed. "Even now, Talon Umbra is just too powerful. All we can do is be alert and hope we react fast enough."

"I'm sorry, but that's not good enough," Makoto frowned. "What if that - - thing - - doesn't attack for weeks or months? We can't stay alert forever."

"Maybe that's what she's waiting for," Artemis suggested. "For us to get tired and drop our guard."

"If you're suggesting we take the fight to her, I've got an answer for you," Minako said soberly. "No. No way we go back there. It would be suicide. It would be quicker to jump from the palace parapet."

"We can't just wait for her to make her move!" protested Makoto.

"Minako's right," Rei sighed. "We wouldn't stand a chance in its domain. We'd have to bring Serenity and Endymion, and even that would be a huge risk."

"I'm still stunned you said 'Minako's right'," Minako said.

"Don't get used to it," Rei replied.

"Perhaps some sort of barrier to keep her out?" Luna suggested. Everyone turned to Rei.

"Maybe I could adapt something," Rei shrugged. "Get Serenity to infuse it with energy. But I can't guarantee it would work. Talon Umbra isn't just a demon. It's THE demon."

"So?" Minako asked. "You try. If you fail, we all have a laugh at your expense and move on to plan B."

"Do we need to include her in this?" Rei ground her teeth.

"You've asked that question before," Makoto smirked.

"Yeah, but nobody's ever given me a good answer."

"Would your barrier at least let us know whether Talon Umbra is present?" Luna asked. "At the very least, it could work as an early warning system."

Rei didn't answer. Everybody looked and found her staring off into nowhere. Minako and Makoto instantly recognized the sign.

"We may be too late," Minako murmured.

Rei bolted from her chair. Makoto and Minako were a moment behind her. But when the door hissed open, they all stopped. Blocking their path was Talon Umbra.

* * *

"Usa," Queen Serenity whispered suddenly, staring off into nowhere. She and Endymion were in the Royal Chambers, Serenity sitting in her rocking chair while her husband doted on her.

A moment later Endymion felt it as well: the sense that his daughter was in mortal peril. Pausing only long enough to transform his gray tuxedo into black armor, Endymion headed for the door. But when the door hissed open, he found Talon Umbra standing there.

"Don't go," the slender woman smiled. "We still have much to talk about."

Endymion began to draw his sword. Talon Umbra seemed amused and raised her hand, palm up. Suddenly serpents sprang from the palm. They lunged at Endymion and coiled around him, trapping his arms at his sides and forcing him to drop the sword.

"Endymion!" Serenity cried, launching to her feet. She started for him, but a move from Talon Umbra made her flinch back. She stared at the serpentine woman, staring into those yellow eyes with vertical slits for irises. "Let him go!"

"As you wish, Queen Serenity," the slight woman said, her voice a venomous hiss. She presented her palm and the serpents leaped back into it.

"What have you done to Usa?" Serenity demanded.

"Nothing," Talon Umbra replied innocently. Then she smiled a hideous grin. "Yet."

* * *

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon shouted, summoning the Moon Tier and pointing it in a single decisive gesture. She stood between Talon Umbra and Helios in the tiny quarters the Dream Guardian occupied in the palace.

Pink tendrils shot out, seeking Talon Umbra with the intent upon wrapping the demon up and purifying it. But Talon Umbra calmly held up her hand. The pink energy struck a barrier and advanced no further. Tendrils shot off, surrounding the invisible barrier from all sides. But it couldn't penetrate the obstacle. Finally the energy dissipated. Talon Umbra gave them a smug look.

"Your mother did far better when she was your age, child," Talon Umbra taunted. "Perhaps your fears are correct. Perhaps you don't measure up."

"Make a move toward Helios and you'll see!" hissed Sailor Moon. Sensing her anger, Helios stepped to one side to face Talon Umbra directly.

"Enlighten me, Ruler of Darkness," Helios began. "We have never met, though I know of you through the souls you corrupt. Why do you wish me dead?"

"It's nothing personal, if that's what you ask," it replied, the low light shimmering on the green silk of its dress. "I have been tasked with your death."

"By who?" demanded Sailor Moon.

"Ah, ah, manners, Princess," Talon Umbra admonished. "I was not speaking to you. Do not impose yourself upon the conversations of those more mature than you."

Feeling Sailor Moon was about to lunge, Helios put his hand on her arm.

"May I ask who has tasked you with this?" Helios asked.

"You may ask," Talon Umbra shrugged. She grinned at them. "But I am not obligated to answer."

And suddenly the demon was gone. Sailor Moon gaped, then heard a noise behind her. She turned to find Talon Umbra behind her and Helios, ready to strike but for the blade of Sailor Saturn's glaive poised at its throat.

"Well met," the demon nodded to Saturn. "Do you have the courage to finish?"

"The question should be," Saturn rumbled, "will you be able to reassemble if my glaive severs your head from your body?"

The standoff lasted for a moment.

"Oh! I remember you from before!" Talon Umbra exclaimed. "Yes, the hidden power, and the hidden shame."

The demon disappeared from behind Helios and Sailor Moon and reappeared once more before them.

"Stalemate?" Sailor Moon asked. "Maybe you should retreat."

Talon Umbra smiled again. And in an eye blink, the demon was inches from Sailor Moon. It seized the Senshi by the throat and lifted her off the floor. The Moon Tier clattered to the floor as Sailor Moon's hands locked around the hand holding her and tried to pull free, but the grip was too strong. Her legs flailed helplessly below her as Sailor Moon gurgled a response.

"SAILOR MOON!" shrieked Saturn as Helios stumbled backward.

Saturn shot forward, leading with her glaive, meaning to impale Talon Umbra. Talon Umbra responded with its free hand, grasping a chair mentally and hurling it across the room. Saturn tried to duck, but the chair caught her full force and knocked her to the floor.

"Maiden!" Helios exclaimed. "Release her, foul demon!"

"Oh, I shall," Talon Umbra replied. "But you must do something for me first."

"What?" Helios demanded.

"Surrender yourself to me," it stated. "Her life for yours. If you resist me, then she dies."

"Don't," Sailor Moon gurgled, "do it!"

"Oh, she's being noble," Talon Umbra mocked. "Or is it that you just can't stand to lose, little Princess? Your mother would have surrendered by now. So I will admit that I like the fight you have."

Twisting in Talon Umbra's grasp, Sailor Moon turned her head so she could see Helios. The look of rabid determination momentarily took him by surprise.

"Do - not - give - in - to her!" the Senshi hissed. Helios stared helplessly, searching for a response that would not be futile.

"ASRAEL'S SLUMBER!" Saturn shouted. She was back on her feet and had her glaive jammed to the floor. Her hope was to leech away Talon Umbra's energy and allow her friend and fellow Senshi to break free.

Talon Umbra began to laugh.

"You seek to rob me of my power?" the demon exclaimed joyously. "Do not exert yourself so! I'll give it to you willingly!"

Like an open faucet, black energy began to flow into the glaive. The weapon turned a deep black with violet highlights as it traveled up the handle. Saturn's expression changed from grim determination to a growing sense of alarm and horror as the black inched up the handle to her hands. Her every sense screamed for her to let go, but Saturn hung on doggedly.

Then the black jumped into her hands. From there it quickly filled her entire being, covering her from head to toe in a black and violet tint. Saturn released the glaive, threw her hands to her head and screamed in unholy terror, then fainted onto the floor. The fowl taint evaporated from her body and swirled back to Talon Umbra.

"SATURN!" Sailor Moon cried as best she could. Then Talon Umbra squeezed harder and choked away any further response.

"Choose, Dream Guardian!" Talon Umbra demanded. "Her time grows short!"

Unexpectedly Talon Umbra doubled over. She fell to the floor even as Sailor Moon collapsed in a heap, no longer held up by the demon's hand. Helios turned to the door to see who had entered the fray.

It was Sailor Pallas.

"YOU LEAVE THE PRINCESS ALONE!" Pallas shrieked. Before Talon Umbra could answer, projectiles of pure mental energy began pummeling the demon. A look of wild, naked fury colored the small Senshi's face. "P-PALLAS ISN'T S-SCARED OF YOU! GO AWAY! GO AWAY NOW!"

"So, one of Nehelenia's mistakes seeks to protect her princess?" scowled Talon Umbra. Despite the continued assault by the unseen projectiles, the demon pushed to her feet. "You're in over your head, child. Run now while you can."

"NO!" bellowed Pallas. "PALLAS ISN'T GOING TO RUN! PALLAS ISN'T A CHICKEN! PALLAS IS GOING TO PROTECT EVERYONE SHE LOVES! SHE'S NOT A CHICKEN!" Her eyes jammed shut. "FIERY INCANTATION!"

And Talon Umbra burst into flames. Yet it didn't react. It just stood there, its skin burning. Pallas stared in shock. She knew it was real. The demon's sleeveless dress was being consumed by the fire, leaving it naked before her. But the fire didn't seem to affect Talon Umbra at all.

"And what if I say you are a chicken?" Talon Umbra asked with just a hint of annoyance.

Twin beams of purple light shot out from the snake-like eyes of Talon Umbra. His crystal horn flaring, Helios attempted to block the beam, but it passed unimpeded through the light. The beam struck Sailor Pallas full on, enveloping the wide-eyed teen in violet. When the beam faded, Sailor Pallas was gone, replaced by a chicken.

Talon Umbra didn't have time to react, though. In a flash, Sailor Moon was on her feet, the Moon Tier in her hand. But in her anger, she didn't use it to project her pink energy. Instead she swung it like a club, catching Talon Umbra square on the jaw. The demon's head snapped around from the force of the blow. But it wasn't felled. Instead its hand shot out and caught Sailor Moon by the throat once again. The Princess was once more lifted off of her feet. She looked down into Talon Umbra's face and saw the cold fury there. Then the fury changed to joy.

"Little has changed, I see!" Talon Umbra exclaimed. "You're still that pathetic little child that Wise Man corrupted into his puppet! And you have the arrogance to think yourself so much wiser than you were then!"

"Release her, Talon Umbra!" Helios demanded.

"Or what?" it sneered.

Helios responded with a rainbow beam from his crystal horn. The beam struck Talon Umbra and it flinched. But as the beam continued its assault, Talon Umbra rallied its strength and straightened up again. And at no time did it release Sailor Moon.

"You haven't the power to oppose me," Talon Umbra told him. "I could have killed you at any time. But to allow you all to try your best to stop me and then kill you is so much more delicious. I can feel your anxiety, Dream Guardian. It tastes sweet." It turned to Sailor Moon. "And I feel your anger and hatred, hatred for all I represent and for forcing you to relive your past failures even while you experience a new one. Oh, you humans! What would I do without you?"

A decision came to Helios. It was one he regretted, but it was the only option he felt he had. He was about to speak.

Then he saw Sailor Moon lock her hands around the wrist of the arm holding her aloft. He saw the glare in his love's reddening face. Talon Umbra saw it, too, when it looked at its supposedly helpless captive.

"No one," Sailor Moon choked out, "is going to die," and her hands began to glow pink, "to save me."

Talon Umbra stared at her, puzzled. The glow of her hands intensified and began to travel down her arms. Sailor Moon's face was beet red. She struggled to breathe and sweat beaded on every inch of exposed skin. The pink energy was beginning to emanate from her entire body now and was enveloping Talon Umbra's hand and arm.

Talon Umbra glanced at her arm as pink energy surrounded it. The skin was blistering. It glanced back at Sailor Moon. The teen had a grim smile on her face.

"There is some of your mother's power in you," Talon Umbra said. "But not enough. If you keep this up, you'll die before I do."

"Maiden!" Helios shouted frantically.

"If it takes you with me," Sailor Moon choked out, "then so be it!"

"As you wish," smiled Talon Umbra. "I can just as easily kill both of you."

And in a wink, their surroundings changed. Sailor Moon, Talon Umbra and Helios were no longer in his enclosed quarters. They found themselves somehow in the courtyard of the Crystal Palace. Helios looked around in amazement. Sailor Moon's expression took on a note of surprise. And even Talon Umbra seemed amazed by the turn of events.

"Put her down," came a calm, emotionless voice.

They all turned to it. Standing just ten feet from them was what seemed to be a woman. She was hardly five feet tall and slight. But it was the huge bat-wings emerging from her back and towering over her that gave her the impression of height. She wore a breastplate of black leather and a skirt of vertical leather strips ending in points, much the way ancient warriors did. Black boots covered her lower limbs up to the knee and a black and red helmet in the shape of a crown adorned her head. In her left hand was a black sword two-thirds as tall as she was. Her heart-shaped pale face was indifferent and she seemed at first glance like a petulant child, but her eyes hinted of death.

"My Mistress," Talon Umbra whispered.

Immediately her grip on Sailor Moon's throat relaxed and the Senshi was able to pull free. She slipped to the ground and went to one knee, gasping for breath. From there, she sized up the new entrant into the battle. There was something familiar about the face and helmet, but at first Sailor Moon couldn't place it. Then she recognized it.

It resembled Sailor Galaxia.

"Talon Umbra," the strange woman spoke, unhurried and without a hint of emotion, "what were you tasked with?"

"The death of Princess Usagi's intended, Sailor Chaos," Talon Umbra replied quickly.

"Did I grant you permission to kill Princess Usagi?"

"No, My Mistress," Talon Umbra replied.

"Then why does her betrothed live while you attempt to kill the Princess?" Sailor Chaos asked. Sailor Moon stared in amazement. Talon Umbra was at the very least clearly intimidated by this strange woman who, apparently, was a Sailor Senshi.

Before Talon Umbra could reply, a pair of blood red beams shot out from the eyes of Sailor Chaos. The beams struck Talon Umbra and it shrieked. The scream echoed across the courtyard, startling the cordon of Civil Defense and Protection officers who had responded to the assault on the palace. It startled and sickened Helios, who stood helplessly and stared at what transpired. And it startled Sailor Moon, because she couldn't tell whether the scream sounded more like someone in pain or someone in abject terror.

Then Talon Umbra began to melt. Skin sagged and oozed off of bone. Bone softened and pooled. The demon's features became misshapen. It sank into a puddle of shimmering black and violet goo on the stone walk of the palace courtyard. Then the puddle began to contract into itself and harden. When the process was done, Talon Umba's remains had hardened into a faceted black jewel with streaks of silver and violet. The gem jiggled, then levitated into the air. It shot across the grounds to the outstretched hand of Sailor Chaos. The Dark Senshi caught it, grasped it, then held it up to expressionless eyes.

"The aspect returns," Chaos muttered, "as it always must." Then she placed the jewel into an empty spot on the brocade of jewels around her waist.

"Who are you?" Sailor Moon asked warily. "Are you a Senshi, like Talon Umbra said? And why do you look like Galaxia?"

Brushing off Sailor Moon's questions, Sailor Chaos brought her sword up, cradling the blade in her right hand.

"I will kill you now," Chaos said plainly and with no trace of anger, "Helios of Elysian."

Continued in Chapter 8


	8. A Pebble In The Ocean Can Create A Wave

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 8: "A Pebble In The Ocean Can Create A Wave"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Vesta was running down the residential corridor, frantically searching for Sailor Pallas. Ceres and Juno were vainly trying to keep up when they both recognized the area they were in was the one Helios resided in. Knowing Sailor Moon was there spurred them to go faster.

But their progress was stopped when a burst of blind panic assaulted their brains. Juno and Ceres were staggered and braced against a wall. Vesta was bowled over. The Senshi tumbled to the floor and lay stunned for a moment, the mental cry for help ringing in her brain.

"Pallas!" Vesta gasped out. "Pallas is in trouble!"

"Yeah, we felt it too!" Juno called to her. Vesta had already scrambled to her feet and was racing toward an open door at the end of the corridor. Despite their dizziness, Ceres and Juno forced themselves toward the door.

Vesta was already there. She burst through the open door, rolling to the floor and up onto her feet in a defensive crouch. On the floor to her left was Sailor Saturn, unconscious and twitching from some unseen malady. To her right was a chicken. The chicken stared up at her. Not seeing Pallas, Vesta knelt next to Saturn and tried to rouse the teen.

"Vesta, it's Pallas!" Vesta heard in her brain. She looked around in confusion. Ceres and Juno had just arrived and were taking in the scene.

"Where are you?" Vesta barked. "I don't see you!"

"Pallas is the chicken!" Vesta felt Pallas say with a telepathic sob. She turned and stared at the fowl.

"YOU'RE THE CHICKEN?" Vesta gasped. "HOW THE HELL ARE YOU THE CHICKEN?"

"She's what?" choked Ceres. Juno stared in shock.

"Vesta, Pallas doesn't want to be a chicken!" the chicken thought to Vesta.

Leaving Saturn's side, Vesta came over and knelt down before the chicken. The bird stared up at her and if chickens could cry, she'd be crying. Vesta just stared in shock. She wanted to do something, but she didn't know what. Finally, tentatively, Vesta brought her hand down and began stroking the chicken's back.

"I-It'll be all right," Vesta mumbled, "Pallas. We'll think of something."

"No," they heard Saturn mumble and turned to her. "NO!" she shrieked and shot up to a sitting position. The teen's eyes were wide and bulging. Panting like she'd run ten miles, Saturn began to realize where she was and calmed a little. Juno knelt next to her and steadied the girl.

"Saturn, what is it? What happened?" Juno asked.

Saturn's lip trembled. "I tried to absorb Talon Umbra's energy," Saturn said softly, as if she feared speaking louder would summon the horror to attack her again. "It was - - so overwhelming - - so horrible." She swallowed. "It was like being suffocated by Mistress Nine again. Just like it." Her eyes clamped shut. "I never wanted to go through that again! And I did! I . . .!"

A realization stopped her.

"Where's Sailor Moon?" Saturn asked desperately. "We have to find Sailor Moon! I'm not sure she can stand up against Talon Umbra!"

Clawing to her feet, Saturn bolted out of the quarters and into the hall. Juno and Ceres glanced indecisively at each other, unsure what to do.

"You two go with her," Vesta said, struggling to keep her head. "I'll stay with Pallas."

After a moment's more indecision, they nodded and took off after Saturn. Vesta gathered Pallas up into her lap and held the chicken protectively.

* * *

One moment the three elder Senshi had been staring into the face of Talon Umbra. Seemingly the next moment, the demon was gone and Rei Hino had grabbed her head dramatically. An exclamation of concern from Makoto went unanswered as the priest slumped to the floor, unconscious. A frantic call to Ami Mizuno followed and a few moments later the doctor was kneeling over the silent priest, a medical scanner in her hand.

"I mean, she just grabbed her head and then bam, she's on the floor," Minako related as Ami studied the readings. "It was a few moments after Talon Umbra took a powder. That couldn't be connected, could it? I mean, there was too much of a gap. Wasn't there?"

Ami struggled to shut Minako out and concentrate on her readings. She thought about asking her friend to be quiet, but thought better of it. Different people dealt with stress differently. Minako dealt with it by maintaining an almost constant stream of chatter.

"Ames?" Makoto asked timidly, while the cats looked on.

"Something has induced a catatonic state in Rei," Ami concluded. "Since you describe her experiencing cranial discomfort before fainting, yet there is no physical swelling or injury, I have to conclude she received some sort of shock or mental overload psychically and her brain shut down out of self-defense, save for the autonomic responses."

"Can Talon Umbra do that?" Makoto asked. Minako continued to stare anxiously at Rei.

"It's hard to say conclusively what Talon Umbra is capable of," Ami admitted. "The only thing I can do now is take her to the infirmary, put her under observation and make her comfortable. Until I know more, I don't dare try to resuscitate."

"But she's going to be OK, right?" Minako demanded.

"You're asking for definite answers that I don't have at the moment," Ami told her.

"Everyone, look at this!" Artemis suddenly exclaimed. As a medical team arrived to take charge of Rei, the others crowded around the computer Artemis was on. The scene displayed events occurring in the palace courtyard.

"That's Galaxia!" Makoto blurted out.

"And yet she's different," Ami remarked. "Either she's acquired a different power source, or something else has possessed her physical form."

"Worry about it later!" Minako said sharply and pointed to the screen. "She's facing Sailor Moon!"

* * *

"I will kill you now," Sailor Chaos said plainly and with no trace of anger, "Helios of Elysian."

But Sailor Moon stepped between him and Sailor Chaos. It was a reflex. Helios feared that his love would bear the brunt of an attack she couldn't stand up to and be killed. After all, Sailor Chaos had just destroyed Talon Umbra with no more effort than if she'd taken a breath.

However, Sailor Chaos lowered her sword.

"Why," Sailor Moon snarled stubbornly, "do you want to kill Helios?"

Sailor Chaos exhaled in annoyance, the first emotion the strange Senshi had exhibited. Sailor Moon kept the Moon Tier pointed directly at her, unwilling to budge. Helios kept behind her, mentally chafing at risking his love's safety to provide his own, but realizing that Sailor Moon was the only thing stopping Sailor Chaos at the moment.

Then Sailor Chaos faded from view. A low whistle was their only clue that the Senshi was now behind them. They both turned, too late, to see the black sword inches from the head of the Dream Guardian. But it was caught, pressing against a golden staff with a familiar garnet orb at the top.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon shouted, firing point blank into Sailor Chaos's face. The pink energy exploded into her and swirled around, causing the dark Senshi to flinch back, the sword falling away from Helios.

With Sailor Chaos temporarily at bay, Sailor Moon risked a glance to confirm that Sailor Pluto had interceded on their behalf. Seeing the solemn Senshi coming to her aid gave Sailor Moon a warm feeling and confidence began to flood into her.

"Chronos Typhoon!" Pluto said, with more emotion that usual, pointing the staff at Sailor Chaos.

Garnet energy lanced out and struck Sailor Chaos. Sailor Moon knew the attack. It was one Pluto rarely used, and only when forced, for the attack sped up time for the being struck by it. Sailor Chaos stopped, then straightened up. Sailor Moon's pink energy was still swirling around her head. But the pink began to change into black, then dissipated. Sailor Chaos turned to Pluto, her face still expressionless.

"You seek to speed up time for an immortal?" she questioned. "A futile gesture."

Unexpectedly a pink boot lashed out and kicked the black sword from Sailor Chaos's hand. It clattered onto the paving stones of the courtyard. Sailor Chaos readjusted her sight just in time to see Sailor Moon's spinning roundhouse kick before it impacted with her jaw. The blow snapped her head to the side. But she didn't go down and she didn't seem otherwise affected.

Chaos was about to reach for her assailant, but a sonic blast from Pluto sent the Dark Senshi staggering back. Sailor Moon didn't wait to assess the damage to their opponent. Instead she jammed the Moon Tier against Sailor Chaos's chest.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" she shouted.

Pink energy exploded into Sailor Chaos. The energy quickly merged with a rainbow beam and Sailor Moon knew it was from Helios. She allowed herself a moment's hope, that together they could defeat this woman. The attack managed to draw a reaction from the dark Senshi. She grimaced slightly.

Sailor Chaos then became intangible and passed through the energy. Sailor Moon pivoted to face her, but the tightness in her chest told her that she didn't have much left to fight with.

The air was pierced by a shriek of terror. Despite herself, Sailor Moon glanced back toward it. Sailor Pluto had fallen to her knees, holding her head with both hands, the Time Staff on the ground before her. Sailor Moon looked back at Sailor Chaos and realized too late that the distraction had given her the opening she wanted. Chaos leaped toward Helios, her black sword levitating into her hand, ready to bring the blade down on the Dream Guardian. He backed up defensively, but wasn't in a position to escape.

But the blade struck a barrier on the down stroke. Sailor Chaos landed and glanced back at Pluto. She was still holding her head. Then she felt it.

They all felt it. Glancing up, everyone saw Queen Serenity levitating down from a balcony of the palace, descending upon them like an angel from heaven.

"Please stop," Serenity said as she descended. "I won't let you kill him."

"Serenity," Sailor Chaos said, again betraying a hint of emotion. This time it was fear. Serenity no sooner touched down onto the ground then Sailor Chaos faded away like a ghost. Warily everyone looked around.

"She is gone," proclaimed Sailor Pluto, no longer in agony, "for now."

Sailor Moon staggered over to Helios, wrapped her arms around her love and squeezed him tightly to her. Serenity looked on, her heart going out to her daughter, and saw that she was crying.

"SAILOR MOON!" they all heard Saturn shriek. Looking, they all saw Saturn racing from the palace, glaive in hand, with Juno and Ceres yards behind her. The three raced up to Sailor Moon and Helios.

"Princess, you all right? What happened?" Juno asked.

"We got through it," Sailor Moon replied hoarsely.

"Where's Talon Umbra?" Saturn asked frantically.

"Gone," Helios told her. "Destroyed."

"By something worse," Sailor Moon added. That drew a look of shock from her team.

Meanwhile, Serenity had glided over to Sailor Pluto and attempted to help her up. Pluto seemed embarrassed by the Queen's concern, but finally allowed Serenity to help her to her feet.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"My health is immaterial," Pluto replied, "save that it not prevent me from aiding those I am sworn to protect."

"Don't say that, Setsuna," Serenity told her. "Of course it matters."

"As you say, My Queen," Pluto demurred and Serenity grew peevish, because she knew when Pluto would humor her to avoid an argument.

"Thanks for your help, Puu," Sailor Moon said. "It must have been some premonition to get you to leave The Door Of Time." She gave Pluto one of her probing stares. "You did see this in advance, didn't you?"

"Indeed," Pluto nodded. "I foresaw this day, as I may foresee all futures, and I knew My Good Lady would need my assistance against the plans of Sailor Chaos."

"Sailor Chaos!" gasped Serenity. "That was Sailor Chaos?"

"Yes, My Queen," nodded Pluto.

"So you knew?!" Sailor Moon demanded angrily. "You foresaw this? You knew this was going to happen? And you didn't warn us?"

Pluto looked genuinely hurt. "Forgive me, My Good Lady. I could not. Knowledge of what would happen would have altered the course of time - - negatively."

Sailor Moon felt Helios grasp her upper arms.

"Yeah," she said, tears drying on her face and emotion choking her voice. "I guess that makes sense."

"Please don't be angry with Setsuna, Honey," Serenity counseled her daughter. "She has things to protect that are more important than we are. It doesn't mean she doesn't care about us. Sometimes she just has to make - - difficult choices."

"All right, Mom," Sailor Moon said, avoiding her mother's eyes. "I get it. I'm just . . . well, this has been kind of hard to take, you know?"

"I know," Serenity smiled, caressing her daughter's cheek. "I'd feel the same way if it was Endymion who was threatened - - or you."

Serenity gently patted her daughter's cheek. Then she moved to Sailor Pluto.

"You seem to know more about this than all of us, Pluto," Serenity said. Endymion was close behind her now. "So Chaos has taken a human form?"

"Chaos shall, My Queen," Pluto nodded, "in the far future. This woman who attacked us is from that future."

"Why does she look like Senenthia?" Serenity asked urgently. "It's not Senenthia, is it? She wouldn't allow herself to be corrupted again."

"When Chaos manifested itself into a humanoid form, in order to oppose Sailor Cosmos in the future," explained Pluto, "Chaos was in need of a form. So Chaos chose the humanoid form most familiar: Sailor Galaxia. Sailor Chaos mimics the face and form of Sailor Galaxia, but that is all the connection she has to Senenthia Om."

"That's a relief," sighed Serenity. "I was so frightened that the peace Senenthia had finally found had been intruded upon."

"Um, . . . Pluto," Sailor Moon began, Helios clutched tightly to her by one arm, "Sailor Chaos - - she's going to try again, isn't she?"

"It would seem likely, My Good Lady," Pluto replied.

"I don't suppose you can tell me when?" she asked. "Or-Or how?"

"My Good Lady," Pluto began.

"I know," Sailor Moon sighed in defeat.

"My Good Lady," Pluto said, tears forming in her eyes, "you ask for things that I cannot divulge. Such knowledge can affect the future. And the future itself is a swirling mass of contradictions dependent upon each action taken or not taken. I see a future where Sailor Chaos attacks in two moments, and another where she does not attack at all. And there are a thousand, thousand variations between the two. Even now, the future I just predicted turns to ash and new variants rise from those ashes. I would speak if I could, to you most of all, but I cannot. I dare not."

"Even if it means Helios's life?"

Sailor Pluto stared at her with sympathy, but did not speak. Sailor Moon's eyes fell to the ground. Her lips pressed together in a thin line.

"Come on, Helios," the Princess said, turning away from her longtime friend. "We have to make plans." Serenity gave Pluto a sympathetic glance. Pluto just stared after the Princess.

"Um, Sailor Moon, there's more," Ceres spoke up as she, Juno and Saturn approached. The Princess waited for more bad news on top of the colossal blows she'd already endured. But Ceres didn't continue. She and Juno just stared as if their minds were somewhere else. Saturn turned to them in confusion as Helios and Sailor Moon looked on, equally puzzled. And then Juno lunged at Helios like a ravenous animal.

"Juno!" gasped Sailor Moon as her Senshi locked her hands around the Dream Guardian's throat. Their momentum pushed Helios to the stone walkway of the courtyard. Juno was on top of him, her shoulders hunched, choking the life out of him.

Instantly Sailor Moon grabbed Juno by her Sailor tunic and tried to pull the Senshi off of Helios. But she was tackled by Ceres, who was just as vicious and angry as Juno was. Saturn stared in shock and horror, seemingly stunning into inaction. Remembering the fighting technique Makoto had taught her, Sailor Moon flipped Ceres onto her back, then violently shoved Juno away. Before either maddened Senshi could make a move, she had the Moon Tier out.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" she shouted.

The pink tendrils shot out from the Moon Tier and separately enveloped Juno and Ceres. The two squirmed to escape, but soon succumbed to the soothing energy. They both sighed with contentment and slipped to the ground.

"What was that all about?" Sailor Moon exclaimed, unconsciously gripping her chest.

Then she noticed the rest of the courtyard. Guards, CDP officers and palace workers were stalking them, each person wearing a mask of malevolence on their faces.

"Up there!" Serenity cried and pointed.

Sailor Moon looked. Hovering above them, two hundred and fifty feet in the air, was Sailor Chaos. And she was radiating a barely perceptible obsidian energy in all directions.

"She's corrupting everyone in the area!" Sailor Moon gasped. "She's trying to overwhelm us with sheer numbers!"

Continued in Chapter 9


	9. Visitors From The Future

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 9: "Visitors From The Future"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

On her knees in the residential quarters usually occupied by Helios, Sailor Vesta cradled a chicken in her lap and gently rocked forward and back. The chicken, her brown feathers seemingly having a bluish tint to them, just stared at nothing.

"Vesta?" Vesta heard in her mind through the link with Sailor Pallas, who was now the chicken in her lap. "When are they going to get back?"

"I don't know, Pallas," Vesta mumbled. Pallas looked up at her sister Senshi. Vesta seemed haunted, almost broken.

"You think Pallas is going to be a chicken forever," the bird mentally accused Vesta.

"No, I don't," Vesta mumbled.

"Pallas can hear it in your head!"

"Well it's not the only thing I'm thinking!" snapped Vesta. "Yeah, it - - might end up that way. But the Princess can do a lot of things. And so can the Queen. And-and they know people. And Mizuno-Sensei is really, really smart . . ."

"Vesta, what if Pallas is going to be a chicken forever?" the bird thought-cast with growing terror.

Vesta stared down at the bird. Then she mumbled something that Pallas couldn't make out.

And just like that, a chicken who had been Sailor Vesta stood next to the chicken who had been Sailor Pallas.

"If it goes down that way," Vesta thought to Pallas over their telepathic link, "you won't go through it alone."

"But Vesta," Pallas began.

"Don't argue," Vesta told her. "Either we're both humans forever, or we're both chickens forever. I said you're not going to go through this alone."

"Yes, Vesta," Pallas thought back. It wasn't what she wanted, and at the same time it was comforting in a way.

* * *

"Sailor Chaos is trying to corrupt everyone in the area!" exclaimed Sailor Moon.

"Well I can't allow that," Serenity said. She turned to her husband. "Endymion, please take . . ."

But when she looked at Endymion, she found him bent over, clutching his head. She grabbed him by the shoulders, but he shook her off.

"Get away!" he hissed. "She's in my mind! Trying to corrupt me - - turn me against you - - like Beryl did!"

Serenity's eyes grew wide with horror. Her hands began to glow silver as she reached for her husband. Then the swing of a metal object caught Serenity on the side of the head and knocked her to the ground. Woozy, she looked up. Sailor Pluto stood over her, brandishing the Garnet Orb Staff like a bludgeon. The Senshi of Time wore an expression of malicious hatred on her face.

"Die!" snarled Pluto. "Die, so I may finally be with my beloved!"

Up came the Moon Tier, Sailor Moon pointing it directly at Sailor Pluto while Helios drove the advancing corrupted staff members back with the beam from his crystal horn. But Sailor Moon grimaced and clutched at her chest.

"Maiden?" Helios inquired with concern.

"Too much," grunted Sailor Moon. "I've done too much."

Anxiously Helios looked to Queen Serenity. Before Pluto could bring her staff down on the Queen's head, she stiffened. The Senshi froze in place for a few moments. Then her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed at Serenity's feet. Serenity got up off the ground and placed her hand on Pluto's head.

"I'm sorry,"she apologized.

A groan of exertion came from Endymion and brought her back to the moment. Serenity got to her feet and glided over to him. Endymion tried to push her away, but she reached in and placed her hands on his forehead and the back of his head. They flashed silver and Endymion collapsed in a heap.

"I'm sorry, Endymion," she said with regret. "But I didn't want you experiencing those terrible thoughts again." Serenity took a cleansing breath. "Now, to stop Sailor Chaos."

"Want some help?" Sailor Moon offered.

"Normally, yes, Honey," Serenity said with a maternal look. "But you need to look out for Helios. He is her main target. I'll be fine."

One moment, the two women were standing there. The next moment, there was one more. She was tall and lanky, with snow white hair done up in heart-shaped odangos and trails spilling to the ground. She wore a Senshi fuku similar to Sailor Moon's, save that it was snow white with a touch of yellow at the sleeves and unique adornments, and she wore a cloak attached to her collar. The strange woman had a staff that was as tall as she was, topped by a round winged orb. But the most remarkable thing to everyone was the resemblance she had to Queen Serenity.

"Please, Queen Serenity," the woman said with a smile of charity, a glint of mischief in her eye and a voice that evoked the song of doves, "let me handle this situation for you both."

"Cosmos!" Serenity exclaimed with joy and surprise.

Above them, Sailor Chaos hissed in anger. The dark waves emanating from her grew stronger. On the ground, Serenity noticed that Sailor Cosmos had noticed Sailor Moon. She glanced at her daughter and found the girl staring intently at Cosmos. Cosmos stared back for a moment, then turned to the Queen.

"Please guard Helios and Sailor Moon, Queen Serenity," Cosmos said with a bit of bravado mixed with her concern. "Sailor Chaos is my fight."

From underneath her cloak, a pair of white wings extended, wings with a ten foot wingspan. Effortlessly Sailor Cosmos pushed off of the ground and soared into the air directly for Sailor Chaos. As she watched, Serenity inched over to her daughter. Tearing herself away for a moment, she glanced at Sailor Moon. Helios seemed to look quizzically at his love as well.

"Usa?" Serenity asked. "What is it?"

Sailor Moon only stared.

Above them, Sailor Chaos used her bat wings to rake at Sailor Cosmos as Cosmos strafed her position, then returned them to keeping her aloft. Cosmos rolled in midair and brought her staff to bear. She pointed the orb at her foe. A beam of pure white light shot out from the orb, directly for Chaos. But it was intercepted ten feet from her, striking a barrier that turned smoky gray at the point of impact. Brandishing her sword, Chaos suddenly shot at Cosmos with the speed of a fired projectile. Pirouetting in the air, Cosmos avoided the charge and then dived down, only to arc back up to face Chaos again.

"Sailor Moon!" Saturn exclaimed. "There are more people! They look like they're going to attack!"

Shaken from observing Sailor Cosmos, Sailor Moon looked around. More palace personnel were advancing on them, corrupted by the influence of Sailor Chaos. And they had been joined by people from the street. They glared like a pack of ravenous animals as they advanced.

"Don't let them get to Helios!" Sailor Moon commanded.

"Silence Wall!" Saturn shouted, erecting her shield between the mob and them. The corrupted people struck the wall and pushed at it, trying to force their way in. "Sailor Moon, can you cure them?"

She brought up the Moon Tier and started to invoke its power. But the pain in her chest stopped her.

"Sorry, Saturn," she grunted. Saturn glanced back at her.

"It's all right," Saturn told her. "I'll hold on."

"Allow me to assist you," Helios said. He reached around her from behind and grasped the handle of her glaive as she held it. Saturn flushed slightly, then concentrated on her job. And Sailor Moon grimaced in frustration at not being able to help.

A slash from Sailor Chaos's sword missed Sailor Cosmos as she flew just out of range. Chaos raised her free hand and shot a beam of black energy at Cosmos. The Senshi in white whirled to face it and extended her free hand. The beam was caught on a barrier, the shield sparking white at the point of impact.

But a slash of the sword sundered the barrier. Behind the slash, Sailor Chaos rocketed into Cosmos. A hand closed around Cosmos's throat as her foe's momentum knocked her backwards. Held aloft only by the beating of Chaos's wings, Cosmos felt her skin begin to burn where Chaos clutched her. She tried to twist away, but her foe hung on tenaciously.

With no other alternative, Cosmos jammed her free hand into the face of her enemy. White energy exploded into Chaos. Chaos broke her grip and brought her free hand to her face, as the force of the energy thrust her back and away. Cosmos struggled to stay aloft, healing the mottled skin on her throat as she tumbled through the air.

Serenity stood in the face of the advancing mob, aching as she saw people she knew, happy, innocent people advancing on her with murder in their eyes and an evil leer on their faces. And she despaired.

"I have to do something," she told herself.

Cupping her hands in front of her chest, Serenity opened the warp and brought the Imperium Silver Crystal from its place and into the world. Her head eased back and she closed her eyes. Then she grimaced in pain.

"What is it?" Sailor Moon asked with concern.

"I've done so much," Serenity panted, "and that energy from Sailor Chaos is weakening me. I'm not sure I can do this."

Hands closed around her arms and braced them. Serenity glanced back and found Endymion behind her.

"We can," he whispered to her.

"Are you sure, Endymion? You look so worn."

"It has to be done," he nodded to her. Serenity turned back to the crystal.

"Together then," she replied with a contented look.

The crystal pulsed. A wave of energy fanned out in all directions from Serenity and Endymion as the pulse billowed her skirt and blew her hair trails. All the corrupted people in the mob surrounding them stiffened and then sunk to the ground. And in the sky, Sailor Chaos doubled over like she'd been kicked in the stomach.

"Mom!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. She ran over and knelt next to her mother, who was cradled in her father's arms as he sat on his knees. The teen touched her mother on the arm.

"Just five more minutes, Mom," Serenity mumbled. Her eyes were closed as she lay limp against her husband.

"Is she going to be all right?" Sailor Moon asked anxiously.

"I think so," Endymion assured her. "She just overextended herself."

"Can I have a cookie?" Serenity mumbled. Sailor Moon smothered a grin.

"Yeah, I guess she's all right. How about you, Pop? You don't look so hot either."

"Don't worry about me," Endymion said. "Worry about Helios. You shouldn't let your guard down like this."

Sailor Moon's eyes bugged out and she scrambled back to her intended's side. She, Helios and Saturn, watched the battle still raging overhead.

With Sailor Chaos stunned and scrambling, Sailor Cosmos pointed her staff at her foe. But she didn't fire. The people on the ground wondered why.

"I offer you mercy, Chaos," Sailor Cosmos said, keeping the staff trained on Chaos. "Cease this effort and withdraw. Do not come back and I will spare you."

"Mercy," sneered Sailor Chaos, struggling to stay aloft. "Weakness."

With a look of sadness, Sailor Cosmos fired a beam of white light at her foe. Sailor Chaos managed to twist out of the way with a desperate wrench of her body. Suddenly she arced into the sky, then looped around and made another run at Cosmos, her sword up and poised to strike. The sword slashed, but was parried by Cosmos's staff. The two hung in midair for a few moments, each one trying to force their attack against the other. Finally Cosmos managed to fling Chaos away. Chaos arced to make another run at Cosmos.

"Maiden!" everyone heard Helios exclaim. "You must not! You are still too taxed!"

Deliberately ignoring Helios, Sailor Moon had the Moon Tier up and was tracking Sailor Chaos, determined to get in a shot. Serenity had seen that and was struggling to her feet in an effort to add her strength to her daughter's and hopefully protect them both. Sailor Cosmos saw everything.

So did Sailor Chaos. Her bat wings wrapped around her to form a cocoon. And the dark Senshi faded from sight. Expelling a sigh of fatigue, Sailor Cosmos lowered herself to the ground. A dainty foot touched down and pristine wings folded back underneath a white cloak.

"I don't understand," Saturn spoke up. "Why did she just - - run?"

"Sailor Chaos and I are evenly matched," Cosmos replied with a bit of melancholy. "But adding Queen Serenity and Sailor Moon into the mix would tilt the balance against her. So she withdrew to fight another day." Cosmos smiled grimly. "Sailor Chaos is very skilled at self-preservation."

"Then she will be back?" Serenity asked. Behind her, Endymion hung on her answer, while Sailor Moon, Helios and Sailor Saturn listened intently across from them.

"The possibility exists," Cosmos would only say.

"That's not much of an answer," Sailor Moon said sharply. It brought a surprised look from everyone except Cosmos. Cosmos stared for a moment inscrutably.

"It's all I can give you," Sailor Cosmos responded with affected calm. "While your future is fluid, my past is set. Any knowledge I impart could change that past."

"Doesn't you being here change the past?" Sailor Moon argued.

"Perhaps it changes a past," Cosmos shrugged with a hint of defiance. "It doesn't change mine, since I exist."

"So Sailor Chaos came back in time to change the past? How? How did she get past Pluto and the Door of Time?" Sailor Moon persisted.

"Honey," Serenity tried to interject.

"Neither Sailor Chaos nor I need the Door of Time," Sailor Cosmos replied cryptically. She saw Sailor Moon was about to ask something else. "I've said enough. One day your questions will be answered - - probably by yourself. Not a lot ever got past you."

Dismissing Sailor Moon, Sailor Cosmos walked up to Helios. Sailor Moon was about to inject herself between them, but Helios stopped her. Cosmos extended her staff and gently touched it to the point of the Dream Guardian's crystal horn. A momentary burst of light came from the connection, then dissipated. Sailor Moon looked on curiously.

"Should Sailor Chaos return, I have placed a barrier around you," Cosmos explained to Helios, "so she will be unable to strike you down. I do this because you don't yet know your importance to the future - - and so I'll know if Sailor Chaos has returned to your era, so I can return and stop her."

"I thank you, Sailor Cosmos," Helios nodded, "as do those whom I cherish and who in turn cherish me."

Sailor Cosmos swallowed.

"Cosmos," Serenity began penitently, "I can't help thinking that this is my fault. That this is because I wouldn't destroy the Galaxy Cauldron."

"Don't think that way, Queen Serenity," Cosmos smiled. "You were right. You shouldn't eliminate evil by obliterating the future - - by obliterating possibilities. While you do eliminate evil by doing so, you also eliminate the possibility for good, for progress, for the evolution of the universe into something greater. I see that now."

"I'm glad," Serenity smiled and Cosmos seemed to swell a little with pride.

"Well, Chaos isn't going to oppose itself," Sailor Cosmos remarked. "I guess I should be getting back to the future. It was - - enlightening seeing you all."

"Cosmos, wait!" Serenity said. Cosmos turned to her. "You're still fighting Chaos all by yourself, aren't you?"

"I'm," Cosmos offered cryptically, "the most qualified."

"Maybe," Serenity began haltingly, "I could help?" The words caused much anxiety among those still awake. "You saw how Sailor Chaos reacted to the idea of us teaming up against her. Maybe together we could turn the tide."

"I appreciate your offer, Queen Serenity," Cosmos replied warmly. "One day I may take you up on it. But you're needed here. You still have little Mamoko-Chan to take care of. I can't expect you to abandon her when she needs you most. And others still need your love and guidance, too."

"You're sure?" Serenity asked.

"Yes. I wouldn't want to deprive Mamoko-Chan of her mother," Cosmos said, then smiled impishly. "She'd never forgive me."

With that, Sailor Cosmos waved her staff from left to right and faded from view. Everyone noticed Sailor Moon continue to stare long after Cosmos had faded away, her brow knit and her features introspective.

"Maiden?" Helios asked. "What is it? What is there about Sailor Cosmos that so disturbs you? I have never seen you like this."

"Isn't it obvious, Helios?" Sailor Moon answered, turning finally to him. "Couldn't you see it?"

"See what?"

"Sailor Cosmos," Sailor Moon said. "She's our daughter."

Continued in Chapter 10


	10. A Revelation

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 10: "A Revelation"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Everyone looked at Sailor Moon in shock, for she'd just dropped the bombshell that she believed the just departed Sailor Cosmos was her daughter.

"Your daughter?" gasped Sailor Saturn.

"That was what I've always sensed," Queen Serenity marveled.

As they reeled from the shock, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus all ran up. They approached Serenity and Endymion on the dead run.

"We got here as soon as we could!" Jupiter puffed. "Where's Galaxia?"

"And what's this about a daughter?" Venus added.

Sailor Moon remained distant and low-key. "You two mentioned something about Pallas?" she asked Ceres and Juno.

"Yeah. Yeah!" Juno exclaimed. "Talon Umbra - - she turned Pallas into a-a chicken!"

"Show me!" Sailor Moon ordered, instantly heading for the palace with Juno and Ceres. Saturn stood and stared in shock. But when Helios moved to follow, it shook her from her inaction and she brought up the rear. The Elder Senshi turned to Serenity.

"Where's Galaxia?" Jupiter demanded.

"Galaxia?" Serenity asked. "Oh. You mean Sailor Chaos. She's gone. Come along. We have to see what happened to Sailor Pallas."

Serenity glided off after her daughter, Endymion following, leaving Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus in the courtyard, confused. Venus looked around and saw all of the unconscious guards, palace workers and civilians littering the courtyard.

"Must have been a Hell of a party," she quipped.

Sailor Moon, Ceres and Juno arrived at Helios's quarters. Rather than one chicken, though, they found two.

"What, is it catching?" gasped Ceres.

"Don't be stupid!" one of the chickens growled.

"Well, you could warn a person, Vesta!" Ceres growled back.

By now Helios and Saturn had arrived.

"Is there anything you can do, Princess?" Vesta the chicken appealed to her leader. Sailor Moon stared at them, uncertain.

"Well," she began, then produced the Moon Tier, "I can try." Glancing at Saturn, she stuck out her hand. "Saturn, how about we merge energies."

"Sailor Moon, are you sure about this?" Saturn replied. She consciously avoided joining hands with her friend.

"Why not?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"You expended a lot of energy against Sailor Chaos," Saturn said, "and Talon Umbra before that. If you try to change Pallas back into a human, I'm afraid you'll be trying to do too much too soon - - a-and hurt yourself."

"She does have a point, Maiden," Helios counseled. "While I sympathize with Sailor Pallas and her plight, perhaps it would be better for you to wait until you are rested and stronger."

And Sailor Moon gave him that look, the look she always gave him when he counseled caution and restraint when she wanted to barrel ahead. It was an impatient look and one that had a hint of defensiveness, because someone was trying to limit her again, even if they had her best interests at heart.

"Princess," Sailor Moon heard and looked around, because it sounded like Pallas. Then she realized it was a telepathic message from Pallas the chicken. "Pallas doesn't want The Princess to get hurt. Pallas can stay a chicken a little longer."

"Pallas," she said, drawing curious stares from the others, for they hadn't heard the message. "I can do this."

"Maybe you should wait," Ceres suggested.

"I can do this!" snapped The Princess. "She got this way because she was defending the palace and defending me! I have to do this!" And she felt Helios's hands on her shoulders.

"Maiden, no one will think less of you if you wait," he told her. She was about to argue when Queen Serenity peeked in the door.

"Oh my," Serenity gasped. "Then it's true."

Pushing past everyone, Serenity fell to her knees and scooped Pallas the chicken up into her lap. As Pallas roost in her lap, Serenity bent forward to envelope the bird with her body. There was a brilliant flash of silver light. When the light dissipated, Sailor Pallas was human again, kneeling next to Queen Serenity.

But Serenity was keeled over onto her side.

"Mom!" Sailor Moon gasped. She jumped in and cradled Serenity, who was limp and unconscious. Helios moved in and supported her from the other side. Pallas began crying. Vesta transformed back into human form and hovered, while Ceres and Juno crowded in.

"She is unconscious, Maiden, but she lives," Helios told her. "I fear she, too, pushed herself beyond her limits and injured herself."

"Computer! Medical emergency, this room!" Sailor Moon shouted, setting the environmental control computer to work. She turned anxiously to Saturn.

"What happened?" Sailor Mercury asked, bursting into the room. She already had her visor down, which acted like a medical scanner.

"She turned Pallas human again," Vesta said quickly, her tone worried. "She gonna be all right?"

"If we can get her stabilized," Mercury frowned. Her transformation faded back to Ami Mizuno and she pulled a stimulant out of her hip medical kit. "I tell her and tell her not to do this and she just will not listen!"

Sensing his arrival, Sailor Moon, Mercury and Helios parted to let Endymion get to her. Deftly he swept his wife up into his arms and hurried to the infirmary. Ami was right behind him, and Sailor Moon and Helios weren't far behind that. Saturn and the Asteroids wondered for a moment what to do, then left the room to follow everyone else.

"Do you suppose it's true?" Juno asked as they walked down the corridor.

"What?" replied Ceres. "That Sailor Cosmos is Usa's daughter? Crazier things have happened."

"Daughter?" Vesta gasped. "She hasn't even been pregnant!"

"Oh!" grunted Ceres. "Juno, YOU explain it to her!"

* * *

In the infirmary, Sailor Neptune was sitting next to Rei Hino as she lay in bed. Rei had only awakened a few minutes ago. Standing protectively by the door was Sailor Uranus.

"So it was something stronger than Talon Umbra?" Neptune inquired. Her voice was level and insouciant, but her gaze was intent upon the priest.

"Yes," Rei replied, massaging her head. "The aura was just so dark and evil that it must have overwhelmed me." She glanced at Neptune. "Is Serenity all right?"

"According to Luna, yes," Neptune smiled. "I haven't been idle here. Uranus and I were following developments in the courtyard through updates from Luna."

"I was ready to go out there, too," Uranus added. "But Luna said this Sailor Chaos had enough and disappeared."

"Sailor Chaos," Rei turned the name over out loud. "And she absorbed Talon Umbra into her?" Neptune nodded. "Someone with that power would account for what I felt."

"And it's someone we need to prepare for," Neptune suggested, "should she ever decide to return."

"Yeah," Rei nodded. "So how are you doing?"

"Well, aside from this beauty mark on my forehead," Neptune quipped, absently rubbing the bandage covering the ugly fracture over her eye, "I'm fine. The doctor's say I'm able to get out of bed. I suppose I could fight in a pinch, if it came to it."

"The only pinch around here is the one I'm going to give you if you even think about it," rumbled Uranus. Neptune locked eyes with Rei and smirked.

"It might almost be worth it," Neptune leered. Rei felt herself blushing. Then she put her hand to her head, brows knit.

"Are you sure Serenity's all right?" Rei asked.

"Are you sensing differently?" Neptune asked soberly.

With that, several medical personnel rushed past the open door. Uranus peered out.

"Hey! That's Dumpling on that table!" she exclaimed. Rei started to get up, but Neptune held her down.

"And where do you think you're going?" Neptune asked.

"Serenity's hurt! I have to be there!" Rei exclaimed.

"And do what?" Neptune asked pointedly. "Will her well? Ami's with her. She's in the best hands."

Sullenly Rei slumped back onto her bed.

"It's hard when the victim is someone you love," Neptune consoled her, "and respect. You can best help her by getting well."

* * *

Outside of the Queen's room, the Asteroid Senshi and the Elder Senshi waited nervously. Jupiter paced. Vesta held on to Pallas. Juno and Ceres exchanged nervous glances. Saturn looked worried, while Venus tried not to look worried. The minutes passed.

"Maybe The Queen should have left Pallas a chicken," mumbled Pallas.

"Nah, couldn't do that," Venus smiled. "Then Makoto would have to cook you." The little Senshi's eyes bugged out.

"Shut up, Blondie," grumbled Jupiter.

"OK, OK," Venus sighed. "So, what's the deal with this Sailor Chaos?"

Inside the room, Ami and two attendants worked on Serenity while Endymion, Sailor Moon and Helios watched. Sailor Moon didn't fully understand the holographic vital sign readout, but she knew enough to see that the readings were varying wildly. She clung to Helios. But when she glanced at her father and saw him relaxing visibly, she knew the danger was past.

"That should do it," sighed Ami. She turned to the family. "Let her sleep for now. It's the best thing I can prescribe. And when she wakes up, PLEASE try to impress upon her again not to exceed her physical limits so recklessly."

"I'll tell her," Endymion replied, "but you know she's not going to listen."

"I know," Ami frowned.

"Thank you, Aunt Ami," Sailor Moon said, touching the doctor on the arm.

"You're quite welcome," Ami smiled. "And later, when you have some time, I would like to hear the chain of reasoning which led you to your conclusion about Sailor Cosmos."

Sailor Moon nodded and she and Helios exited the room to tell the waiting Senshi.

"She's stabile now," she told them. "She just has to rest for a little while." Sailor Moon knelt down to Pallas. "How are you doing, Pallas?"

"Pallas is well, thank you very much," Pallas said, her reply muted. "But Pallas doesn't ever want to be a chicken again."

"How about the headaches?"

"They're gone," Pallas said. "Pallas thinks it's because the bad lady is gone."

"Which bad lady?" Juno asked. "Talon Umbra or Sailor Chaos?"

"Both," Pallas replied with a sad expression.

"Probably affected her telepathic sensitivity," Sailor Moon concluded. She got to her feet and exhaled.

"So," Venus leaned in expectantly. "Tell us about your daughter."

"Um, I'm kind of tired, you know? Can we do that later? I'm going to go tuck Helios in." She turned to the Asteroids. "Thanks for all your help."

"No problem," Juno said as Sailor Moon and Helios walked off.

"She's sure taking this strangely," Jupiter observed. "When I found out I had a daughter, it was the happiest day of my life."

"Yeah, and she's not sticking out to here," Venus added, mimicking a pregnant woman. "Come to think of it, Usagi wasn't thrilled at first to find out about Usa when she visited the twentieth century. Suppose it's a Tsukino thing?"

"Different circumstances, Blondie," Jupiter shook her head. She turned to the Asteroids. "I think we could all use a little rest. Why don't you girls stand down for now."

"Yes, Jupiter-Sensei," Ceres nodded.

"But stick close," Venus added. "Just in case."

Everyone nodded grimly.

Helios and Sailor Moon entered his quarters. Immediately Sailor Moon sank into a chair. Helios took a spot on his bed. He eyed his love as she sank deep in thought.

"Do you worry about Sailor Chaos returning?" Helios asked. "Or are you more concerned with Sailor Cosmos?"

"Both, I guess," Sailor Moon replied. She began fiddling with the strand of pink hair that always dangled in front of her ear. "Sailor Chaos doesn't strike me as someone who gives up when she decides to do something. And if Talon Umbra and Wise Man are aspects of her, then she's sneaky enough to strike at where we're not expecting." She paused a moment. "Like suppose she just goes back in time to before today and attacks you then?""

"Do you have a memory of it?" Helios asked.

"Well, no," she replied curiously.

"Then it has not occurred," Helios told her. "Perhaps she did make the attempt and was thwarted by something or someone. You can only affect the future, Maiden. You cannot affect the past."

"I could with a Time Key," she countered. Helios smiled.

"I could become philosophical on that point, Maiden, but instead I will concede," he said to her. "And I must confess that my mind is more focused on Sailor Cosmos. Do you actually think she is our daughter?"

"Don't you?"

"I confess that when I look at her, I can see traces of you," Helios replied. "She more resembles your mother. The bloodline of the Moon Kingdom is unquestionably within her. She is a descendant, of that there is no doubt. But daughter?"

"She has to be," Sailor Moon said. "Yeah, she looks a whole lot like Mom, but I can see so much of you in her: the hair, the eyes, even though they're violet instead of red, her coloring." She grinned and glanced at him. "And the wings are a dead giveaway."

"If she can change her form into an equine, I shall concede the point," Helios quipped. Then he grew serious. "This news does not seem to make you happy."

"Oh, finding out that I've got a daughter who evolves into the guardian of good in the entire universe - - that's a hell of a trip. It kind of makes you proud." She sobered. "But from what Mom told me about her meeting with Sailor Cosmos at the Galaxy Cauldron, she comes from a future that's overrun by Chaos, that's on the verge of destruction. She's fighting that alone."

"And yet your mother offered to fight with her and she refused," Helios pointed out. "Surely the fight must not be so bleak if she refused assistance."

"Or maybe she's being noble," Sailor Moon countered. "Or stubborn. Just the thing you'd expect MY daughter to do."

"It is one of your endearing qualities," Helios teased.

"No, it's a bleak future," Sailor Moon maintained. "So bleak that she ran away - - sound familiar - - and hid out in the twentieth century as Chibi-Chibi."

"Ah, but did you not say then that you sensed no connection between you and Chibi-Chibi?"

"Maybe she was hiding it," Sailor Moon shrugged. "Maybe I'm not as sensitive as Mom is concerning those things. Maybe . . ."

"Maybe," Helios interjected, "you are wrong."

"Then why was Sailor Chaos trying to kill you?" she asked point blank. "Eliminate the parent, you eliminate the unborn child. She dared invade the thirtieth century, where Mom is probably at her strongest, to do this. You saw her react. Sailor Chaos was very leery of Mom. But she came anyway. And if it's true that Chaos was behind Nehelenia's madness, that's two attempts on you."

"Then why has she never attempted to kill you, Maiden?" Helios asked. "If you are just as much Sailor Cosmos's parent as I, eliminating you would accomplish the same thing."

"Well, she kind of did at the end. Nehelenia, I mean."

"And was destroyed for it."

"Just like Talon Umbra when she tried to kill me," Sailor Moon muttered and Helios could see her anxiety begin to bubble to the surface. "That's what worries me. Sailor Chaos went out of her way to keep me alive. What if I'm just as important to her as I am to Cosmos?"

"Maiden," he sighed.

"You know my history! What if it happens again? What if I'm corrupted into becoming a soldier for Chaos? Against my own daughter!"

Helios rose from the bed, crossed over and knelt before his love. He grasped her hands and looked up at her.

"You make assumptions based on fear, Maiden," Helios counseled her. "I prefer to trust the goodness of your heart and the brilliance of your dream light. Should Sailor Chaos try to turn you, she will fail. And I vow to you that I will defend you as long as there is breath in my body should she try."

Her lower lip trembled. "Thank you," she squeaked.

"Now perhaps you should be off to bed," Helios suggested. "I promise I will give you a pleasant dream."

"I'm staying here," declared The Princess.

"But Maiden," Helios protested. "What will your father say?"

"I don't care!" Sailor Moon told him resolutely. "I'm not moving from your side - - not until I know you're safe!"

"Very well," Helios conceded. Then he smirked. "But it will make for an awkward time in the shower."

"Well that depends on how cramped your shower is," leered The Princess.

* * *

Midnight; the palace was asleep, save for the night shift of workers. Sailor Moon slept in the chair. She had refused all entreaties from Helios to use his mattress. On the mattress, Helios sat in a lotus position and monitored the dreaming. He was so still that, save for the shallow rise and fall of his bare chest, he seemed dead.

Outside his quarters, a hand gloved in white extended toward a computer keypad in the wall next to the door. At once the keypad sparked and the door slid open.

A silent figure entered the quarters. She glanced at Sailor Moon, then to Helios. Neither seemed aware of her presence. Without drawing any attention to herself, the figure crept into the room and approached the bed that Helios sat on.

Noiselessly the figure raised her glaive to strike.

Continued in Chapter 11


	11. Impending Consequences

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 11: "Impending Consequences"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

The scenario had been perfect. Sailor Saturn had entered the quarters where Helios resided without any reaction from its occupant. Helios sat on his bed, in a lotus position and eyes closed, without acknowledging Saturn's presence. Sailor Moon sat in a chair to one side, sleeping and undisturbed by Saturn's entry. The environmental control computer had not announced her presence, the terminal serving the quarters shorted out by a power Sailor Saturn should not possess.

The violet Senshi moved to within striking distance of Helios. Her glaive went up, the blade poised to strike Helios and bring his death. Saturn's gaze was on Helios the entire time. She saw him open his eyes and look directly at her.

"Did you think to catch me unaware?" he asked.

Saturn began to bring the glaive forward, but a rainbow beam of light shot out from the Dream Guardian's crystal horn. It struck Saturn in the face and she stopped. Her expression changed from grim determination to a person at war with herself, her features changing from resolute to conflicted to horrified and back in the span of seconds.

And Sailor Moon was upon her, grabbing the violet Senshi's wrist and twisting. The glaive clattered to the floor. Sailor Moon brought her arm across Saturn's chest and forced her across the Senshi's hip. Saturn flipped onto the floor on her back, with Sailor Moon twisting the arm she kept control of to pin Saturn on the floor. Saturn fought for a few moments to get free, then went limp.

"Are you all right, Helios?" Sailor Moon asked.

"I am unharmed, Maiden," he replied.

"Saturn, what the Hell?" the Princess wailed.

"Do not reproach her, Maiden," Helios advised. "Sailor Saturn is under the influence of another." Sailor Moon shot him a fearful look. "I sensed it when she first entered my quarters. Her mind is not her own, thus her dream light is obstructed."

"Sailor Chaos," Sailor Moon instantly concluded.

"Or an aspect of her," Helios nodded. "I concur, Maiden. Who else so wishes me dead? And with the barrier erected around me by Sailor Cosmos, she must strike at me through puppets and minions."

"S-Sailor M-Moon," Saturn choked out, pulling every word from her throat as her body lay limp and her expression frozen. "T-Talon U-Umbra . . . i-inside m-me . . . s-smothering m-me. . ."

"Saturn!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. "You hang on, Saturn! I'll get you away from her! I won't let you go through that again!"

"Can you, little princess?" Saturn said in words not her own. Her expression changed into one of malevolent contempt. "Though I am but a shadow of Talon Umbra, herself but a shadow of Chaos, I am not so easily dealt with. Do you have the strength to free her from my grasp? Or does the shadow on your soul, the shadow that my son and brother Wise Man found and exploited, still sabotage your power when you need it most?"

"How about we find out?" Sailor Moon replied.

With a look of determination on her face, Sailor Moon summoned her pink crystal from her chest while keeping Saturn's arm twisted and her body pinned. The crystal hovered six inches from her chest and cast the room in a pink tint. Sailor Moon closed her eyes and grew placid. Saturn tried to squirm out of the Senshi's grip, but it held firm. The crystal pulsed. Then it returned to the warp over Sailor Moon's chest and she opened her eyes. Saturn was limp again. But before releasing her grip, Sailor Moon looked at Helios for confirmation.

"No, Maiden," Helios reluctantly informed her. "Saturn's dream light is still compromised."

And Saturn began to laugh. It was a cold, mocking laugh, taunting her friend. For a moment, Sailor Moon felt tears welling. She forced them down.

"Help me," she said through her frustration, "get her to the security lock-up."

* * *

"I wonder what's up," Sailor Juno articulated, which was what everyone else was thinking, as the Asteroid Senshi raced up to the Security Lock Up on the sixth level of the palace.

"Pallas was sleeping," moaned the Senshi. "Pallas hopes it isn't something bad. She needs her beddy-bye."

"Suppose they caught one of Talon Umbra's gang making another try for Helios?" Vesta suggested. "Maybe it's that Sailor Chaos."

"Sailor Chaos isn't going to be in the Security Lock Up," Ceres argued. "If she can time travel at will, she's too powerful for something like that to hold her." She glanced at Juno. "I wonder where Saturn is?"

"You noticed that too, huh?" Juno remarked. "Maybe she was tagging along with The Prin . . . um, Usa. You know Saturn."

"Maybe," Ceres said, as much to assure herself as to agree with Juno.

But as the four turned the corner to the junction leading to the Security Lock Up, Pallas stopped suddenly. The others turned and found the Senshi quaking in fear.

"Pallas?" Vesta inquired.

"The bad lady," Pallas squeaked.

"I told you!" Vesta grunted at Ceres. Ceres ignored her and moved toward Pallas.

"Pallas, if you have to go back to your room, it's all right," Ceres assured her. "We can manage."

"N-no," Pallas forced herself to say. "Pallas will come. S-She's not a scaredy."

"You're sure?"

Pallas nodded. Vesta came up next to her.

"You stay behind me," Vesta told her. Pallas gave her a grateful look.

Entering the Security area, the Asteroids were prepared for just about anything. But they weren't prepared for what they saw: Sailor Saturn laying on a bunk in a holding cell. The cell doors were locked with magnetic couplings and Saturn was held down to the bunk with a magnetic field attuned to a human body. They looked at their leader, silently questioning why. But it was Pallas who told them.

"The bad lady's got her," Pallas announced. "Saturn-Chan thinks she's sealed up in a little box and can't get out, and the bad lady is making her do things."

"Then Saturn is still there?" Sailor Moon asked. They could hear the anxiety in her voice.

"Yes, Princess," Pallas swallowed. "But she's really scared."

"But I saw Talon Umbra destroyed by Sailor Chaos!" Sailor Moon huffed. "How could she possess Saturn?"

"It must have been when we fought her in Helios's quarters," Juno suggested. "Saturn tried to drain Talon Umbra's energy, but it was too much for her. I saw some of it on her hands and arms. She must have got to Saturn that way."

A noise from the entrance caught their attention. Standing there were Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune. Uranus was in twenty kinds of anguish just seeing Saturn imprisoned on the bunk. Neptune was more controlled, but she was visibly worried as well. While Uranus pressed up against the reinforced observation window, Neptune got the story from Sailor Moon while Helios and the Asteroids looked on.

"I tried to force Talon Umbra out," Sailor Moon said as Neptune watched Saturn. "But her hold on Saturn is just too strong. Or I'm too weak."

"Knowing Talon Umbra," Neptune offered, "I'm certain it isn't that easy. You did your best."

"If I could have merged energies with Saturn, I bet I could have done it," Sailor Moon continued. "Now I know why she wouldn't merge earlier. Talon Umbra was afraid I'd sense her if we merged energies. I should have seen it."

"Now is not the time for blame," Neptune told her sternly. "We worry about freeing Saturn first. Obviously this is something Serenity needs to do. I know Talon Umbra can't stand up to her."

"I already checked," Sailor Moon replied. "Mom's still out of it. Aunt Ami doesn't know how long it'll be until she's healthy enough to do something like this." She glanced at Saturn. "I hope Hotaru can hold out."

"I doubt it," Saturn said in a voice similar to Talon Umbra. "I can already feel her slipping away."

"LET HER GO, DAMN IT!" bellowed Uranus. "YOU SKULKING, BACK-STABBING ROTTEN . . . ONE ON ONE! THAT'S ALL I ASK! YOU AND ME!"

"Uranus!" hissed Neptune.

"I'LL PUT YOU IN YOUR GRAVE!"

"I accept," taunted the possessed Saturn. "Do you mind if I wear what I'm wearing now?"

Sailor Moon turned and stormed out of the Security area. Quickly Helios and the Asteroids followed. They caught up with her at the palace lift.

"Hey, I know it's tough," Juno offered. "But Saturn needs us."

"Saturn needs to be free of that evil," Sailor Moon replied, her anger smoldering just under the surface. "I'm not sure she can wait for Mom. I'VE got to do something."

"What do you plan, Maiden?" Helios asked. The lift opened onto the floor where the nexus to the Door Of Time was. Sailor Moon headed out and the others followed.

"I'm going to the future," she proclaimed. "To where Sailor Chaos is. And I'm going to stop her and make her set Saturn free."

"I do not think that wise, Maiden," Helios warned.

"Yes, if Talon Umbra is just an aspect of Chaos, how are you going to stand up to her when you couldn't even stand up to Talon Umbra?" Ceres asked.

"Cosmos will be there," Sailor Moon replied curtly. "She'll help me. Together we can do it."

"Maiden," Helios began, but Sailor Moon whirled on him.

"I have to TRY!" she barked. "I can't let her suffer through that anymore! What she's going through would be Hell for anyone, but for Saturn it's her worst nightmare come true again! I HAVE to do it!"

An awkward silence followed.

"Need some help?" Vesta asked. Sailor Moon swallowed.

"We might not come back whole," she warned Vesta. "We might not come back at all."

"Hey, I figure I've been living on borrowed time since I was twelve," Vesta said confidently. "I got your back."

"Me, too," Juno volunteered. "Don't know how much good I'll be, but I want to try. I want to make sure you come back in one piece - - that we all do."

"Sure," Sailor Moon smiled. Immediately she knelt down to Pallas. "Maybe you should sit this one out, Pallas," she suggested.

"The Princess thinks Pallas is a scaredy chicken," pouted the Senshi.

"No I don't," Sailor Moon said. "And you can scan my mind to see. But we both know what Sailor Chaos does to your senses. And Saturn's going to need someone to watch over her and keep her safe."

"OK, Princess," Pallas surrendered. "Pallas will watch over Saturn-Chan."

"Thanks," smiled Sailor Moon. She stood up and turned to Helios. "You need to stay here, too. I don't want you within a thousand years of Sailor Chaos."

"Your mind is set, so I will not argue," Helios sighed. "Please let your head rule you and not your righteousness. For my sake, for yours, and for that of our future daughter."

"Sailor Moon, are you SURE about this?" Ceres asked nervously. Sailor Moon turned to her.

"Yeah," she nodded. Ceres looked down anxiously. "Why don't you stay with Pallas. She could probably use your help, given what Talon Umbra does to her."

"Sailor Moon," Ceres swallowed. "I'm sorry."

"It's OK," Sailor Moon said. "We all do what we have to do." With renewed determination, she turned to Juno and Vesta. "Ready?"

They nodded and together they passed through the temporal nexus.

Inside the nexus, Vesta and Juno quickly fell in behind Sailor Moon. The nexus was still an eerie, misty nothing with a solid floor they couldn't see and no other visual markers to guide them. Juno, her senses honed in the rain forests of Brazilia, felt anew her dislike for this place and its alien nature. Vesta, sharing so many characteristics with the animals she imitated, felt the same. But Sailor Moon walked with a purpose, since she knew the nexus better than they did.

"You think Sailor Pluto will just let us go to the future?" posed Juno. "From what contact I've had with her, she really takes this whole 'guardian' thing seriously."

"I'll convince her," Sailor Moon replied. Vesta and Juno both recognized the mood. The Princess was in her 'I'm going to do it no matter what' mood and they wondered if Pluto would actually be able to stop her if she tried.

And there it was: an ornate white door standing in the middle of nothing, the mist seeming to emanate from it. They watched it for a moment.

"It doesn't look like she's here," Juno suggested.

"Yeah, maybe you don't need to convince her," Vesta added. "Maybe she's not around and we can just use the Door."

"We're going to need a Time Key," Sailor Moon said. "Where does Pluto keep them? Oh, now I wish I'd brought Diana."

Like a wraith, Sailor Pluto was suddenly there, behind Sailor Moon and to the right of Juno and Vesta. Vesta crouched defensively, while Juno was surprised that she hadn't heard the Senshi approach. Sailor Moon turned.

"My Good Lady," Sailor Pluto smiled and bowed to the Princess. "I am always cheered by your visits - - no matter the reason."

"Then you know why I'm here," Sailor Moon said. Her gaze was intense.

"I do," Pluto replied, a note of melancholy in her voice.

"Now I know what you're going to say," Sailor Moon began, heading off a suspected counter-argument.

"Do you, My Lady? Have you gained insight into the future now?" Pluto jested. Vesta and Juno glanced at each other. It always amazed them how different the normally cold and remote Senshi was in the presence of The Princess.

"You're going to try to talk me out of it," Sailor Moon maintained, "or give me a hundred reasons why you can't open the door."

"And they would all fail," Pluto sighed. "I have foreseen this, sadly, so I will not even try. To do so might further injure the relationship we have."

"If you mean what happened in the courtyard," Sailor Moon said contritely, "I was stressed out. I shouldn't have taken that tone with you; not you."

"I am grateful, My Lady," Pluto smiled. "But I bow to your wish just the same. For I have also seen futures where you force your way through the Door and become forever lost in the eddies of time. Since I see no future in which I am able to dissuade you, it is better to accede to your plan than to risk losing you."

"I'm that much of a bitch?" Sailor Moon asked, surprised.

"You can be," Juno offered shyly. "When you're fixated on something."

"I've got to work on that," Sailor Moon mumbled. Then her resolve returned. "After I save Hotaru. Pluto, please send us to Sailor Chaos - - after she's returned from 2998."

"As you command," Pluto said. She brought her staff up and pointed the Garnet Orb atop it at the door. "A word of caution, My Lady. Chaos is force of nature, a force of corruption. Anger and hatred play into its hands. And while Chaos does want you alive, as you have deduced, it does not need your mind to be intact. Cling to the lessons your mother has taught you."

Pluto turned the staff a quarter turn. The Door Of Time opened. Without hesitation, Sailor Moon stepped through, closely followed by her two guardian Senshi. The Door closed behind them, leaving Pluto alone. She closed her eyes and looked down, hoping for one set of future paths and fearing the other set.

* * *

"What the Hell happened here?" Vesta said softly, in awe.

Dark, thick clouds covered the sky. Vegetation struggled to grow in the low light and it was gnarled and foreboding. In the distance there were the broken remains of structures dotting the barren land. There were no cars. There were no roads. Nothing flew in the sky. Here and there were pools of stagnant water.

"Sailor Chaos happened," Sailor Moon concluded.

"Man, it's a good thing Ceres didn't come," Juno marveled. "Seeing these plants would make her cry."

"It's worse than that," Vesta observed. "Listen."

Juno fell silent and listened. "To what?"

"There's no animals," Vesta told her. "No birds. Nothing moving on the ground. Nothing."

Juno's eyes closed for a moment.

"There's some wildlife in the ocean," Juno said. "It's about two or three miles that way. Maybe we should head for it."

"No," Sailor Moon cut her off. "Sailor Chaos is here. I asked Pluto to send me to Sailor Chaos, so she's here. We stay here and we stay on mission."

Vesta pointed up into the sky. The others looked and saw movement. The object was far off at first, but approached rapidly. Before the object arrived, the three Senshi could see that it was Sailor Chaos, carried toward them by her massive bat wings. The Dark Senshi pulled up twenty feet from them, hovering twenty feet above them. She still looked like a corrupted reflection of Sailor Galaxia and she still had her sword.

"You should not have come," Chaos said with no emotion, her bat wings flapping and stirring up dust below her.

"Free Sailor Saturn and we'll go," Sailor Moon replied defiantly.

"I refuse," Chaos said diffidently. "Instead I will destroy your two companions and send you back to your era myself, so you may grieve over three fallen friends rather than one."

Sailor Chaos drew her sword.

Continued in Chapter 12


	12. Striving For Balance

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 12: "Striving For Balance"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

When Sailor Chaos lunged, sword in hand, her speed caught all three Senshi from the past by surprise. Chaos was on Sailor Vesta in a moment, her sword swinging for the kill. Vesta barely had time to change into a gnat, removing herself from the Dark Senshi's field of vision. Chaos took a moment to try to locate Vesta, then turned on Juno.

But Sailor Chaos was intercepted by Sailor Moon. There was no time to use the Moon Tier. Instead she caught Sailor Chaos in mid-lunge, grasping the woman and twisting to try to pin her to the ground. The Princess had spared no avenue in her training to become the best Sailor Moon she could be and Jiu-Jitsu was one of those skills. Even her cherished Aunt Makoto had been impressed.

Sailor Chaos responded by putting her right hand against Sailor Moon's shoulder. She braced her feet against the ground and shoved. Sailor Moon's grip broke and the woman flew eight feet before landing. The teen rolled to her feet, ready to attack or defend, and saw Chaos almost upon Juno

"Aqua Initiation!" Juno shouted sharply.

Beneath Sailor Chaos, the ground rumbled. Then it exploded underneath her, driving a gusher of water into the air with Chaos caught in the middle. The force of the torrent was equal to a raging river current, but Sailor Chaos stood unmoved. Juno backed up a step as Chaos walked out of the gusher, unaffected beyond being drenched.

Sailor Moon summoned the Moon Tier and hoped she would be in time. Before she could fire, though, an Asian elephant suddenly appeared over Chaos's head. Gravity took over and the pachyderm dropped squarely on the back of Sailor Chaos. The Dark Senshi was driven to the ground, buried under the massive hind quarters of Sailor Vesta.

"Thanks for the save, Vesta!" Juno exclaimed.

"Look sharp!" Vesta barked. "She's squirming underneath me! How much punishment can this woman take?" The elephant's eyes widened. "Hey, I can't feel her no more!"

Juno looked around frantically and spotted Sailor Chaos rise up out of the ground behind her like a wraith, then solidify again. Juno backed away, forming water projectiles as she retreated and firing them at Chaos. Using her free right hand, Chaos easily deflected each water projectile as she stalked Juno. Vesta changed from an elephant to a tiger and lunged angrily at Chaos.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon shouted.

The pink energy from the Moon Tier struck Sailor Chaos squarely and the Dark Senshi folded into herself. Vesta was able to veer away at the last instant, landing behind Chaos and crouching for an attack if needed. Sailor Chaos was propped up on her sword, her knees buckled and her head bent forward. Sailor Moon poured out her desire to change this woman, to reform her into a vehicle of peace, all focused through the energy emanating from the pink crystal through the Moon Tier.

But Sailor Chaos would not relent. And eventually Sailor Moon's energy had to. The pink beam faded away. The pink tendrils surrounding Sailor Chaos, trying to influence her to peace and happiness, changed to black and then evaporated into mist. Sailor Chaos straightened up and turned to Sailor Moon.

"Your mission is futile," Sailor Chaos said, again without any emotion. "You do not have the power to turn me, nor do you have the power to protect your friends. You are a failure, as Sailor Moon and as the progeny of Serenity. You always have been and you always will be."

Her eyes stinging, Sailor Moon pointed the Moon Tier again and fired. Again pink tendrils surrounded Sailor Chaos and again Chaos seemed visibly affected. But once more the tendrils turned black and dissipated, and in a much shorter time.

In the blink of an eye, Sailor Chaos was on top of Juno. Juno took two steps back, then stumbled and fell and found a sword tip at her throat. Before Chaos could behead Juno, Vesta the tiger was on her back. The tiger's claws dug deeply into Chaos's back and she plunged her fangs into Chaos's neck. But with little effort, Sailor Chaos swung her free arm back and flung Vesta from her. Ignoring the wounds on her back, Sailor Chaos looked down upon Sailor Juno as Juno looked up into the eyes of her executioner. Then Chaos glanced at Sailor Moon, silently challenging The Princess to save her friend.

One moment she wasn't there. The next she was, Sailor Cosmos again swinging her staff like a bat and knocking Sailor Chaos away. Chaos unfurled her wings and used her momentum to carry herself into the air twenty-five feet above them.

"Again you interfere," scowled Sailor Chaos from above.

"Again and again," Sailor Cosmos proudly proclaimed. "The balance must be maintained, Chaos."

"A plague on your balance!" snapped Sailor Chaos angrily. "So what if they live another minute or a millennium? Death will have its due! You cannot keep them from its grasp!"

"You may be companion and consort to death and emptiness, but I'm the champion of life. And I will not let you cheat them of one moment of that precious life."

With that, Sailor Chaos dived at her. She swung her sword. Sailor Cosmos parried with her staff. The impact sent a shock wave over the barren landscape, causing at least one gnarled tree struggling for life to finally give up and fall over.

"Hey!" Vesta suddenly exclaimed. The tiger found herself sinking ankle deep in the barren soil. The same thing happened to Sailor Moon and Sailor Juno. While Sailor Moon stopped when the ground hardened around her ankles, Juno and Vesta continued to sink.

"No, I won't let you do that," Sailor Cosmos told Chaos. She waved her staff at the three Senshi and they suddenly found themselves free of the ground.

Sailor Chaos took that opportunity to dive at Sailor Cosmos again. But a cannonball of water, fired by Juno, knocked her away before she could get to Cosmos. Cosmos ran over to them as they gathered together.

"Grasp my staff, all of you!" Sailor Cosmos instructed. "Sailor Chaos has the advantage here and this skirmish can't end well!"

The three Senshi complied. A wave of energy passed through them, filling each Senshi with a fantastic sense of peace. And when they opened their eyes, the three found themselves in a grassy meadow dotted with trees and bushes, all drinking in the rays of the brightly shining sun.

"Where are we?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Crystal Tokyo," Sailor Cosmos replied, then grew an impish smile. "Don't you recognize the lake?"

Sailor Moon gazed over to a lake in the distance. She puzzled for a moment, then sparked with recognition.

"That's the lake outside the north side of the Crystal Palace!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. Then she sobered. "But - - where's the palace? Where's the city?"

"Gone," Sailor Cosmos replied softly.

"What happened?" Juno asked anxiously.

Sailor Cosmos grew melancholy. "Chaos has always lurked on the outer reaches of humanity, waiting, watching, influencing when it can. Its goal is the destruction of everything."

"Why?" Sailor Moon asked as the others listened.

"Chaos is an elemental force of the universe," Cosmos explained. "It exists and it follows its prescribed function. There is no why. Chaos merely is."

"She don't seem all that," grunted Vesta. "Sure, she's tough, but there's probably a way to take her down."

"You speak of Sailor Chaos," smiled Cosmos. "Sailor Chaos is an aspect of Chaos, as Talon Umbra was, as was Metallia and Wise Man, as was Pharaoh 90 and Nehelenia." Vesta and Juno tensed at the mention of the last name. "It's like your index finger is an aspect of you, but it isn't the totality of you. Chaos is so vast, so limitless, that I can only comprehend it in abstract terms. And I've been fighting Chaos for a good many years."

"Then how is this possible?" Sailor Moon asked, waving at the lush green around them. "If Chaos is as powerful as you say, shouldn't this be a dead world?"

"Because we're only one of a billion, billion worlds in all of reality," Sailor Cosmos said, amused by their primitive naivety. "And Chaos is on all of them, waiting and corrupting and sowing the seeds of every planet's destruction. Chaos has succeeded thousands upon thousands of times, leading to the deaths of entire societies and the charred remains of planets."

"Then," Juno swallowed, "it's hopeless?"

"No," Cosmos replied. "Because Chaos has failed thousands upon thousands of times as well. It's the cosmic balance."

"You said that earlier," observed Sailor Moon. "What exactly is the cosmic balance?"

"What do you think it is?" Cosmos asked.

Sailor Moon frowned, but Cosmos wouldn't respond further. Finally she sighed in irritation.

"Well," The Princess pondered, "philosophically I suppose it's opposing forces keeping each other in check. When you achieve a balance between, say, good and evil, you reach a state of harmony."

"Right again," Cosmos nodded ruefully. "Harmony on a cosmic level is a balance between life and death, knowledge and ignorance, progress and regression, invention and destruction; Never leaning too far to one side, for that destroys harmony and inevitably leads to destruction."

"You could have just answered the question," grumbled Sailor Moon.

"I could have," smirked Cosmos.

"And that's what happened here?" Juno asked.

"Yes," nodded Cosmos. "On Earth, as on many worlds, there has been a champion to keep Chaos in check and to balance the scales between entropy and progress. For a long time, it was Queen Serenity."

They all noticed Cosmos grow sad.

"But all living things die," Cosmos related. "Even the one acknowledged through the universe as the single greatest Senshi in the history of life. And Chaos began to make inroads. Chaos began to undo everything that Queen Serenity had accomplished in her magnificent life."

"What about her replacement?" Sailor Moon asked with a feeling of dread.

"Since that replacement was you," Cosmos told her with a twinkle in her eye, "I'm not going to go into specifics. You're much too sharp. You did carry on her mission, and very admirably, until - - something - - happened. And Sailor Chaos came into being."

"Came into being how?" pressed Sailor Moon.

"I must not answer that," Cosmos maintained. "Maybe this quote sounds familiar: 'It's terrible to know the future. Terrible to know your own, but just as terrible to know someone else's'."

Vesta and Juno glanced at Sailor Moon. They saw their leader recognized the quote, though they didn't, and its implications.

"Anyway," Cosmos continued. "Sailor Chaos was very bold and very aggressive. Chaos, from time to time, grows impatient and creates these aggressive avatars like Metallia or Sailor Chaos, or corrupts living beings into avatars like it did with Nehelenia. And Sailor Chaos. rather than corrupt from stealth or decay over time, attacked. I tried to hold her back, but her determination to win was, I'm ashamed to say, greater than mine. With the help of human cohorts whom she corrupted, she devastated the planet. She created a haze that choked off the sun, thus destroying most of the plant life. Food became scarce. Technology was put to work to solve the problem, but she and her co-conspirators sabotaged the technology. As she gained advantage, mechanical progress and material knowledge began to disappear. And the more she destroyed, the stronger she seemed to get." Cosmos took a breath. This was clearly painful for her to remember.

"That's when you became Chibi-Chibi," Sailor Moon asked sympathetically, "and ran away to the twentieth century, isn't it?"

"I was overwhelmed," Cosmos said. "I needed my . . . needed the strength Queen Serenity had. Of course, genius that I was, I picked one of the most traumatic periods of her life." A smile began to bloom on Cosmos's pretty face. "But I learned from her, just by being with her. I learned the strength of pacifism. I learned the power of a gentle touch. I learned the miracle that love really is. Seeing her triumph against impossible odds, because Sailor Galaxia was far more powerful than she was, gave me the courage to go back and face what Sailor Chaos had done."

"So you did this?" Juno asked.

"Not alone," Cosmos demurred. "The planet helped. It wasn't dead yet. I just removed the things that were choking the life out of it. And life began to return: plants, animals, even humans."

"You did a wonderful thing," Juno told her.

"I just restored the balance," Cosmos answered. "Sailor Chaos had gone too far. The harmony was gone. Life and death were misaligned. I restored that."

"Well now that we're here, maybe the four of us can take this Sailor Chaos down for good," Vesta proclaimed.

"No," Cosmos replied.

* * *

Sailor Uranus watched from the observation window as Sailor Saturn writhed on the bed she was secured to in the palace detention area. Uranus couldn't quite determine if the impotent actions of her little Firefly was Talon Umbra trying to escape the magnetic restraint field or Saturn trying to escape Talon Umbra. She'd been watching ever since Saturn had been placed in the restraint field, desperately wanting to help in some way and knowing that she couldn't. How much time had passed? Too much, for Saturn had suffered during every moment.

And then Saturn turned and looked at her in the observation window, and gave Uranus the most wicked look of malicious glee the Senshi could ever recall seeing. Angrily Uranus threw herself against the window. The barrier held, forcing the Senshi to glare as Saturn laughed at her.

"Uranus, she's only doing that to taunt you," Neptune gently chided. The green Senshi was sitting in a chair, patiently waiting for Serenity or Ami or Usa or somebody to remedy the situation. "Don't let her make you lose your eye."

"Sorry if I can't be as calm about this as some people," snapped Uranus.

"Just because I can keep my head about this does not mean I don't care," bristled Neptune.

"Yeah," Uranus said softly. "I'm sorry."

"It's the frustration talking," Neptune replied gently.

"Neptune, what if we lose her?" Uranus asked, trying and failing to hide the quaver in her voice. "What if Dumpling wakes up too late? What if . . .?"

"If it happens, we'll face it," Neptune said. "But I'm not going to waste my time and energy speculating on it until and if it happens."

"The mirror," Uranus said suddenly. She turned to Neptune. "The mirror!"

"The Deep Aqua Mirror can't cure her," Neptune told her.

"But maybe it can see," Uranus continued. "See if she gets well. See if . . ."

"See the future? That's Setsuna's province, not mine. And would you really want to know?"

"Yeah," Uranus hardened. "To know if there's an end to this for her. And if she can't be cured, to know I can go in there and throttle the life out of that grinning little demon - - so it knows what death tastes like." Uranus swallowed. "And so my little Firefly doesn't have to suffer anymore."

Just then, Uranus saw a reflection in the window from the doorway. She turned, causing Neptune to look. The light from the hall cast the person in silhouette.

"Dumpling? Glad to see you up and . . ." Uranus began. Then she stopped when she realized that the figure in the door wasn't Queen Serenity.

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'NO'?" roared Sailor Vesta.

"The destruction of Sailor Chaos would accomplish nothing," Cosmos told her.

"She wouldn't hesitate to off you," Vesta growled.

"And that's the difference between us," Cosmos explained.

"If you're scared," muttered Vesta. Cosmos didn't flinch.

"Have you given up?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Given up, no," Cosmos answered. "But I know to pick and choose my battles with Chaos to maximize my success. I know when to pull back."

"So that barren patch where we faced Sailor Chaos - - that was Earth, too?"

"It was," nodded Cosmos. "I've reclaimed half of the planet, restored nature and gave the people who survived a means to live and achieve. It wasn't easy. Some day I hope to reclaim the entire planet. For now I've managed to contain Sailor Chaos on one side of the planet."

A man ran up, interrupting them. He wore a simple woven cloth tunic and wooden sandals and looked like something out of an ancient historical painting from the feudal era. He bowed reverently to Sailor Cosmos, his hands clasped together.

"Please, Sailor Cosmos!" the man said desperately. "My daughter! She's hurt! She had an accident! Please help her!"

"Of course," Sailor Cosmos replied benevolently. "Take me to her." And off they went, leaving the stunned Senshi behind.

"This place is nuts!" Vesta remarked.

"And did you see his tunic?" Juno began. "He's like some peasant out of some feudal drama you see on holo-streams. She really did wipe out everything." Juno looked up at the sky. "I wonder how far in the future we are."

"Well," Sailor Moon said, staring after Sailor Cosmos as she disappeared toward the shoreline, "I don't know if Sailor Cosmos is immortal. But if she's not, every Senshi generation is a thousand years, more or less. That would put us somewhere between 4000 and 5000 A.D."

Juno whistled.

"So what about Saturn?" Vesta asked. "We just giving up?"

"Nobody's giving up," Sailor Moon stated.

"Then what do we do? Because this Cosmos isn't going to help us take down Chaos. That's a fact."

"You're right about that," Sailor Moon sighed.

"So?" Vesta persisted. Juno looked to her as well.

"I don't know," Sailor Moon finally admitted.

Continued in Chapter 13


	13. Is Fate Inevitable

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 13: "Is Fate Inevitable"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Cosmos entered the detention area of the Crystal Palace. As she did, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Saturn eyed her suspiciously. When she was too close to the confinement cell for Uranus's liking, the tall Senshi issued a challenge.

"Who the Hell are you?" Uranus snapped, standing directly in Sailor Cosmos's path. "And why do you look so much like Queen Serenity?"

"My name is Sailor Cosmos," the Senshi in white said pleasantly, disarmingly. "As to why I resemble Queen Serenity," and she seemed to stifle an impish chuckle, "that's a family secret."

"Are you the same Sailor Cosmos who aided Serenity and Sailor Moon against Sailor Chaos earlier?" Neptune asked. She rose as she did, passively, but ready to act if necessary.

"I am," Cosmos nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. I've read and heard a lot about you."

"As I understand it, you left and promised to return if Sailor Chaos did," Neptune continued. "Is she returning?"

"Fortunately, no," Cosmos replied. "I'm here to do a favor for someone very close to me and hopefully prevent a tragedy."

"Do what?" Uranus growled. "For who?"

"I'm here to cure Sailor Saturn," Cosmos glanced at Uranus with amusement, "if you'll let me."

"You can do that?"

"I'm probably her best chance," Cosmos told her. "Since Queen Serenity hasn't done it, she must either be laid up or busy with other things. That leaves me. May I?"

"I'm supposed to let you near her," Uranus asked, her eyes narrow and threatening, "just on your word that you mean her no harm? How do I know you're not Talon Umbra in disguise?"

"Talon Umbra already has her," Cosmos replied, amazed that Uranus couldn't see the logic. "Why would she need to infiltrate this holding cell if she's already here? But to show you I mean no harm, I'm leaving it up to you whether I go in."

"And if I say no?"

Cosmos grew emotional. "Then Sailor Saturn will remain corrupted for the rest of her life," she said, "and Sailor Moon will be VERY upset and do something very reckless that will alter my past and your future."

Uranus and Neptune glanced at each other. It wasn't in their natures to trust strangers, particularly strangers who possessed the power they sensed from this woman. But if she was truly Saturn's best hope, would it be right for them to bar this woman from her? They heard a boot click on the floor and turned to find Sailor Pluto in the door.

"My friends," Pluto said. "You may put your concerns at rest. I will vouch that this woman is who she says she is and that her intent is genuine."

"Pluto," Neptune nodded. "It's nice to see you again."

"My Good Lady's eighteenth birthday celebration, and that of her mother," Pluto nodded, answering the veiled challenge from Neptune. "Our reunion was too short."

"Yes it was," Neptune relaxed. She turned to Sailor Cosmos. "You honestly think you can help her?"

"I'll do my best," Sailor Cosmos assured her.

Uranus stepped aside. Sailor Cosmos walked up to the door to the detention cell, then phased through it. Inside, she calmly approached the table where Sailor Saturn was held by a magnetic field. Saturn glared up at her, impotent to do anything in her defense, but loathe to show weakness in the face of an enemy.

"It will be a hollow victory, Cosmos," Talon Umbra proclaimed using Saturn's voice. "Chaos will rule. All will decay. All will die. You can't stop it."

"Perhaps not," Cosmos sighed. She raised her staff. "But I'm still able to slap its hand when it gets too greedy."

Cosmos touched the winged orb atop her staff to Saturn's forehead. Saturn cringed as the orb approached, then hissed when it touched. The room's artificial light dimmed for a few moments, causing Uranus's heart to jump into her throat. But the light came back on and they could see Saturn was clearly calmer.

"You can come in now," Cosmos said through the transparent barrier to them. "She's yours again."

Uranus and Neptune entered the confinement cell and hovered over Saturn. Neptune disengaged the magnetic field. For her part, Saturn seemed stunned at first. But as realization came, so did tears welling in her soulful eyes.

"Why does this keep happening to me?" she whimpered. Uranus gathered the waif up in her arms and hugged her tightly, while Neptune put a bracing hand on the girl's shoulder. Even Sailor Cosmos looked on in sympathy.

Outside the confinement cell, Cosmos stopped near Sailor Pluto.

"One path is closed off forever," Pluto said to Cosmos, "and another strengthens. Are you certain of your actions?"

"I saved the balance," Cosmos replied. "And I helped someone who was very important to me when I was young. Whatever consequences come from this, I accept them."

"As you say," Pluto nodded.

* * *

In the future, Sailor Moon wandered over to where Sailor Cosmos was. Vesta and Juno tagged along because that was their job, and there wasn't really anything else to do, despite Vesta's feelings. They found Cosmos kneeling over a child of twelve. She wore nothing save a linen loin cloth and her black hair was cut short and functional. As they approached, the Senshi could see the girl's right arm was mangled.

"She must have fallen from that tree," observed Sailor Moon. A tree stood proud and placidly nearby.

The girl made no sound, as she had fainted from the pain. But the adults gathered around her were making enough noise to fill the void. Some were crying or whispering anxiously. Others were pointing at Cosmos and speaking in hushed, reverent tones.

"That's a pretty bad break," Juno murmured.

"I've seen injuries as bad as that," Vesta commented. "The docs just have to get one of those bone-repairing machines."

"No machines, Vesta," Juno reminded her. "No more tech, remember?"

"And probably no doctors," Sailor Moon added. "At least none who can heal a break like that. Remember what Cosmos said? Sailor Chaos managed to wipe out three or four thousand years of scientific progress. This society is probably on the level of pre-dynastic times."

"All the more reason to take her down," Vesta grumbled.

"I agree," Juno added.

"So do I," Sailor Moon told them. "But right now isn't the time."

As the gathered villagers watched, Sailor Cosmos placed her left hand on the mangled arm while she held her staff with her right. Her head dropped and her eyes closed. A white light emanated from her left hand and grew until it obliterated everything. Everyone had to turn away from its brilliance. When the light diminished, they all turned back.

The girl's arm was like new. Sailor Moon looked at Sailor Cosmos. Cosmos didn't seem fatigued in the least. She didn't even seem stressed.

"Thank you, Sailor Cosmos-Dono!" the man, apparently the girl's father, said. He collapsed onto his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground. The others gathered did the same.

"Please get up," Sailor Cosmos told them, touching the father on the shoulder. "I was happy to do it. May your daughter have many bright and happy children."

Getting to her feet, Sailor Cosmos came over to Sailor Moon and the others. If she felt like bragging, it didn't show. Sailor Moon judged her as humble, much the way her mother was always humble after performing such feats.

"Very impressive," Sailor Moon nodded. "Now, about Saturn."

"I will not aid you in an assault upon Sailor Chaos," Cosmos told her. "Besides, there's an easier way to free Sailor Saturn."

And just like that, she was gone. The three Senshi looked around, but couldn't find a trace of her. Just as they were about to speak, Sailor Cosmos was there again.

"You went back in time?" Sailor Moon asked.

"And freed Sailor Saturn of the influence of Talon Umbra," Cosmos said. "Such corruption is no match for me."

"Thank you," Sailor Moon said. Juno was visibly grateful as well. Vesta just looked at her suspiciously.

"I was happy to do it," Cosmos smiled. Then her smile dimmed. "I don't want to sound ungracious, but now that you no longer have a reason to be here, I'd be grateful if you would return to your time."

"Are you afraid our being here will negatively impact this situation?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Yes. You three are a complication. And you run the risk of learning something here that you're not supposed to know."

"Like I'm your mother?" Sailor Moon asked point blank. Sailor Cosmos sagged.

"Damn it, Mom," she muttered. "I knew it was a risk. But I didn't have a choice. I had to stop Sailor Chaos from killing Dad. I'd hoped that, maybe, I could get in and out quickly enough that you wouldn't figure it out." She looked ruefully at Sailor Moon. "But I could never keep ANYTHING from you."

Sailor Moon just looked at her, feeling the stirring of parental attraction well within her now that her suspicions were confirmed. But at the same time there was a gulf between them, a gulf made up of not knowing the other and it made the moment awkward.

"So," Sailor Moon began, hearing her voice quaver and hating it, "w-was I a good mother?"

"Over all?" Sailor Cosmos ventured timidly. "Yeah. I mean you had your moments when I really, really, REALLY wanted to smack you. I suppose all mothers and daughters have those moments. Grandma used to tell me stories . . ."

"Then Mom gets to see you grow up?" Sailor Moon exclaimed happily.

"Oh, there I go again," sighed Cosmos. "Yeah, Grandma gets to see me grow up. She came back to Earth just to play Grandma."

"And Helios? Is he still . . .?"

"Don't push it, Mom," Cosmos said. "You already know more than you should."

"Right! Right," Sailor Moon nodded awkwardly.

"And it's nice to see you two as well," Cosmos said to the other Senshi, "Aunt Jun and Aunt Ves."

Juno gave her a hearty smile. Even the corners of Vesta's mouth turned up.

"Cosmos, I have a million questions," Sailor Moon began.

"And I can't answer any of them," Cosmos told her.

"Then let me help you!" she exclaimed. "Let me team up with you! Together we can eradicate Chaos!"

"No, Mom," Cosmos said stubbornly.

"How can you let this world suffer like this?"

"Oh, here we go," sighed Cosmos.

"I'm serious! Half of this world is devastated, uninhabitable! And as long as you let Sailor Chaos exist you're just letting it happen! You're just - - conceding it to evil!"

"I'm not conceding anything! It's the balance, Mom!" Cosmos maintained.

"It's retreating in the face of death and suffering!" Sailor Moon argued.

"It's keeping a balance between life and death, so life can evolve and progress!" Cosmos shot back. "You can't eradicate death, Mom! And you shouldn't. All you can ever do is minimize it! Protect the living in order to give them a chance to succeed and evolve. If the struggle swings too far to either side, everything suffers!" She expelled a frustrated breath. "How many times did I have this argument with you? You never understood because you were always too stubborn to try to understand!"

"I . . ." Sailor Moon began.

Above them, the sky began to darken. Among the residents of the area, they began to look up at the sky and grow anxious. Juno looked to the shore, nearly a mile away from them. They could see in the distance the surf churning up onto the land, land that had once a long time ago been Tokyo harbor.

They didn't have to look. Everyone could feel her presence. Casting their eyes to the sky, everyone could see Sailor Chaos hovering above them, flanked by dark silhouettes, all roughly humanoid, all ready to attack.

* * *

Sailor Saturn, accompanied protectively by Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, peered into the infirmary room. In a bed, Queen Serenity rested peacefully as holographic monitors measured her vital signs. Flanking her on the left were Endymion, Mars and Jupiter. Flanking her on the right were Ami and Venus. Venus glanced at them.

"Hey, Saturn, glad to see you up and around," Venus grinned. "But if we get any more people in this room, Dr. Drill Sergeant here is going to boot us all out."

"You can all stay," Ami said as she studied the life signs. "Just as long as you're all quiet."

"Guess you better leave now, Blondie," Jupiter jabbed. Venus responded by miming locking her mouth with a key.

"How is she?" Uranus inquired.

"Her vital signs are strong," Saturn replied. "Her pulse is a little shallow, but it's in an acceptable range. She should be fine."

"My little doctor in training," Uranus said proudly, her hand on Saturn's shoulder.

"Very good, Saturn," Ami said. "It's my theory that the Silver Crystal has put her into a light sleep in order to recharge itself. When she has reached sufficient recovery strength, she'll wake up." She turned to Saturn. "How are you feeling?"

"OK," Saturn mumbled, her eyes on the floor, "I guess."

"We can talk later, if you like," Ami offered. Saturn nodded.

A few moments passed and then Queen Serenity began to stir. Like Sleeping Beauty emerging from her spell, Serenity shifted under the sheets and then opened her blue eyes.

"Good morning, Sleepy Head," Mars leaned in and smiled.

"Good morning, Rei-Chan," Serenity beamed. "Why are you in my bedroom?"

"Go back to sleep," Mars sighed.

"You did a little too much," Endymion said, leaning in, "and landed in the infirmary again."

"Again?" whined Serenity. "I have to stop doing that." She rolled over and saw Ami. "Thank you, Ami-Chan." A memory came to her. "Sailor Chaos - - what happened with Sailor Chaos?"

"Gone," Jupiter told her. "You ran her off, Hon'. She just couldn't take it."

"That's good," Serenity nodded. "Though someone should help those people in the future." Serenity scanned the room. "Where's Usa?"

Everyone looked curiously at everyone else and realized that none of them knew. All except Pluto.

"She is gone, My Queen," Pluto announced. "Gone to the future to battle Sailor Chaos and restore Sailor Saturn."

A chill ran through the room, and Queen Serenity and Sailor Saturn felt it the most.

* * *

Upon seeing Sailor Chaos, the humans who were congregated on the shore of Tokyo Bay scattered and sought shelter. Sailor Moon and Sailor Vesta got into defensive stances. But Sailor Juno acted.

"Aqua Initiation, Pour Down Rain!" she shouted.

Instantly the skies darkened and sheets of rain began to pour down on Sailor Chaos and her army of humanoid shadows. A quick glance by Sailor Moon showed her that Juno was drawing water from Tokyo Bay. The deluge of rain pelted Chaos and the shadow creatures with the force of a Category Five Hurricane. Chaos was unaffected by the downpour beyond being annoyed. But her shadowy army was struck again and again by sheets of rain until they could maintain altitude no longer. One by one they crashed to Earth and dissipated.

Raising her sword, Sailor Chaos charged Sailor Juno with unnatural speed.

"Fauna Assimilation, Fire Breathing Dragon!" Vesta shouted.

Morphing into a thirty foot snake-like dragon right out of a Chinese mural, Vesta opened her mouth and threw a blast of flame at Sailor Chaos. Chaos stopped her charge and deflected the fire with a force shield. That's when Sailor Moon stepped in, projecting her healing pink tendrils from the Moon Tier.

For a few moments, Sailor Chaos withstood the onslaught of the pounding rain, of Vesta's supernatural flame, and of Sailor Moon's pink crystal. The three Senshi poured everything they had into maintaining their attack. It seemed for a moment to be stalemate.

Then Chaos flexed her wings ever so slightly. She propelled forward and slammed her fist into the side of Vesta's head, sending the dragon flying and landing in Tokyo Bay. Chaos turned on Juno, ready to cleave the Senshi with her sword. But Sailor Moon was there, pushing between them both and catching the wrist of Chaos's sword hand.

"I won't let you kill her!" Sailor Moon hissed through clenched teeth. Sailor Chaos smiled in contempt.

"You don't have the power to stop me," Chaos told her bluntly. "You never will, but you certainly don't now."

A beam of energy struck Sailor Chaos and knocked her away. Sailor Moon sought out the source of the beam and found it was Sailor Cosmos, wielding her staff. Sailor Moon got ready to attack Chaos, but Cosmos was beside her, walking toward Chaos. She put out her free arm to bar Sailor Moon as she continued to approach Chaos.

"I've told you and told you, Sailor Chaos," Cosmos said as she approached. "You will not harm these people. You will respect the balance."

"You'll have to kill me to stop me, Cosmos," Sailor Chaos proclaimed. It almost sounded like the hiss of a snake.

"If that's what it takes," Sailor Cosmos said and raised her staff.

Continued in Chapter 14


	14. Never-ending Evil

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 14: "Never-ending Evil"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

A beam of pure white light shot out from the winged crystal atop the staff of Sailor Cosmos. It lanced down and struck Sailor Chaos squarely in the chest. And, to the amazement of the other Senshi there, Sailor Chaos howled in agony. The dark Senshi curled up into a fetal ball, her sword abandoned beside her, and screamed in incredible pain. Sailor Moon and Sailor Juno stared incredulously, looking first at the writhing form of Sailor Chaos and then to Sailor Cosmos as she continued to mercilessly assault the creature. They could see stress lines forming on her forehead and around her mouth.

"Do you yield, Chaos?" Cosmos demanded.

The beam of light continued to assault her. Her screams of agony continued to assault the other Senshi. Curious villagers emerged from their shelters and stared. A hawk flew up to them and then changed into Sailor Vesta. And still Chaos howled.

"Do you yield?" Cosmos demanded again.

"No!" croaked out Chaos, her bat wings covering her body in a futile attempt to shut out the light. "Never!"

Sailor Cosmos responded with a look of frustration and fury, fury at having to go this far and do this much. The white light continued to pound Sailor Chaos until it enveloped her completely, obscuring her from everyone's sight.

Then the light ceased. As it dissipated, everyone could see that Sailor Chaos was gone. Cheers erupted from the villagers.

"Is that it?" Sailor Juno asked in confusion. "Is she gone for good?"

Sailor Cosmos hesitated for a moment.

"Yes," she said finally.

"About time," grunted Vesta.

Sailor Moon studied her daughter. Sailor Cosmos wouldn't look at anyone. She just continued to stare at where Chaos had been.

"I know this was probably difficult for you," Juno offered. "I know what your philosophy is about balance. But Sailor Chaos was a predator. And in the case of a predator, there are only three possible outcomes: You flee, you're killed, or you survive by killing the predator. It isn't always what you want, but sometimes nature doesn't leave you a choice. That's the law of the jungle, the law I learned. And in some cases, it's a good law to live by."

"Or you could just say she's dead and it's no big loss," Vesta added.

"Vesta," Juno sighed.

"Thank you for being concerned about me," Sailor Cosmos offered, looking at them for the first time. "It brings back a lot of pleasant memories. But you all really need to go."

"What will you do now?" Sailor Moon spoke up. "If Sailor Chaos is gone, does this world need Sailor Cosmos?"

"The world will always need a champion," Cosmos replied.

"Cosmos," Sailor Moon said suddenly. "Are you alone in all of this? Do you have somebody? A friend? A companion? Someone who's more?"

"Mom," Cosmos began, touched and yet embarrassed by the inquiry.

"Please tell me," Sailor Moon said urgently. "I would really hate it if you were facing all of this by yourself!"

Sailor Cosmos considered her response for the longest time. "Yes, Mom," she said at last. "There is someone."

"I won't ask anymore," Sailor Moon told her. "I'm just glad to know that you're not alone in this fight."

"I'll ask," Vesta said. "Is he hot?"

"I," Sailor Cosmos began, "think I should disperse some of this excess water from Sailor Juno's attack before it negatively impacts the environment." Cosmos spread her wings and lifted off into the air.

"Vesta, we just can't take you anywhere," Juno sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Actually, I'm glad she asked," Sailor Moon said and motioned her Senshi to follow her as she eased away from the little village.

"What's up?" Juno asked as they followed. "Aren't we going to signal Sailor Pluto to bring us back to the thirtieth century?"

"Not yet," Sailor Moon replied.

"You think she's lying about Sailor Chaos being dead?" Vesta ventured.

"I'm almost certain she is," Sailor Moon answered. "And I want to know why."

* * *

"Yeah, Hiroki, she just woke up," Cere said on her com-link as she walked down the corridor to the quarters she shared with the other Asteroids. "Yes, it is good news. Now if only Jun and Ves and Usa get back safely, everything will be fine."

She scowled suddenly.

"No, Hiroki, I'm a LITTLE busy at the moment," Cere sighed with exasperation. "I'll call you when I can come over." She listened to his response. "Then I'll just have to seduce you away from your canvas. Bye."

Cere took a moment to imagine what it would take to seduce her obsessive-compulsive, manic-depressive boyfriend away from his canvas when he had inspiration. It would take work, but she was confident that she could do it.

Entering the quarters, her attention was instantly drawn to Palla-Palla. The teen was sitting in a corner of her section of the main room, watching a vid-stream of "Yumi-Chan's Toy Shop". Immediately Cere could sense something was amiss because Palla-Palla wasn't singing along with song time. Cautiously stepping around the dollhouses that fenced off Palla-Palla's area, Cere eased up to her sister and knelt down beside her.

"Don't feel like singing?" Cere asked.

Palla-Palla shook her head.

"Ves will come home," Cere assured her.

"Palla-Palla knows. Ves-Ves promised and she doesn't break her promises if she can help it," the teen responded.

"Still thinking about Talon Umbra?"

"Palla-Palla didn't want to be a scaredy cat. But she couldn't help it."

"We've all got things we're afraid of. You know me. I'm a white knuckle every time I transform. Even Ves is scared of some things. And Usa and everyone else. We don't think any less of you because you were terrified of Talon Umbra."

"But you think Palla-Palla was afraid because she's stupid," Palla-Palla said.

"We think that? Or you think that?" Cere asked her.

"Well, it's true, isn't it? If Palla-Palla wasn't stupid, she wouldn't be afraid," the teen argued softly. "And if she wasn't stupid, she could be afraid and still fight. Palla-Palla really wishes she wasn't stupid."

"We all wish we didn't have the flaws we have, Palla-Palla," Cere suggested. "But they're part of us and we just have to be the best person we can be in spite of those flaws. Just remember, you don't have to do it alone. We're all here for you when you need us: me and Jun and Ves and even Usa and Hotaru. Just like you're always there for us when we need help. So don't give up and don't get down on yourself, OK?"

Palla-Palla glanced at Cere.

"Cere-Cere really believes that. She's not just saying it," Palla-Palla remarked with some astonishment.

"Will you stop peeking into my mind," fumed Cere.

"Palla-Palla is sorry," the teen offered penitently.

"No, you're not," Cere replied cynically.

"No she's not," Palla-Palla answered with a hint of gratitude.

* * *

A circular whirlwind kicked up in the dark, devastated portion of future Earth. It was noticed by nothing, because nothing lived in that area of the planet. Dust and debris kicked up and then settled back to the ground when the whirlwind died and revealed Sailor Moon and her two guardian Senshi.

"Why did we come back here?" Juno asked, casting a wary eye around her.

"I wanted to check something," Sailor Moon replied.

"This isn't a good idea," Vesta warned. She, too, was looking around suspiciously, expecting trouble at any moment.

"What are you checking?" Juno inquired.

"She don't believe that Sailor Chaos is really dead," Vesta answered before Sailor Moon could. Sailor Moon looked at her, surprised. "I saw the way you were giving Sailor Cosmos the eye. You didn't buy it for a minute."

"Why would she lie?" Juno asked.

"To get us to go home," Sailor Moon replied, searching the area.

"Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea," Vesta said.

"Scared?" Sailor Moon asked.

"I'm not too crazy about looking for a fight on someone else's home turf," Vesta responded. "I'll stick and I'll take anything that comes. But it's not the best way to stay alive."

"Sounds like you've been sampling Usa's Sun-Tsu files," Juno jabbed.

"Some things are right no matter where you learn them from," Vesta shot back. "If this Sun-Tsu guy thought that, then he would have done OK on the streets of Sao Paulo." She glanced at Sailor Moon. "So how do we go about finding out if this Chaos chick is still around?"

"I suppose I could use my crystal to try to sense her," Sailor Moon exhaled. "Keep an eye out. I'm going to be vulnerable doing this."

Vesta and Juno both nodded. Sailor Moon closed her eyes. The warp over her chest appeared and her pink crystal floated out. Cupping around it with her hands, Sailor Moon brought it up to eye level. While Juno and Vesta watched for signs of danger, Sailor Moon probed out with her thoughts, trying to sense the level of darkness that could only be Sailor Chaos. This continued on for nearly a minute. Then Sailor Moon nearly doubled over and staggered back two steps. Her Senshi turned to her with concern.

"It has to be," Sailor Moon mumbled to herself as the crystal returned to its warp. "It has to be."

"What? Did you find her?" Vesta asked.

"Come on!" Sailor Moon waved as she sprinted forward. "I know where she is! And be on your toes! She may have gotten stronger!"

The terrain was rocky and uneven. Since the transport bubble hadn't traveled far, Sailor Moon guessed that they were somewhere in the Himalayan mountain ranges, in some place that had once been China or Nepal, possibly even Russia if it were summer. It made running difficult, but not impossible. Not once did either Vesta or Juno complain. Each had grown up in uncivilized conditions, Juno in the jungles of the Amazon and Vesta in the jungles of Sao Paulo's ghetto. And Sailor Moon had been training for several years before her powers blossomed, so they were all ready for what they faced.

As they approached a crevasse along the foot of a mountain range, Sailor Moon stopped them. The trio eased cautiously between outcroppings of rocks as they silently neared their target spot. For Sailor Moon wanted to observe without being observed. She knew the fearsome power of Sailor Chaos and what she felt had dwarfed that power.

At the edge of an incline, Sailor Moon gestured for them to stop. Crouching behind cover, they peered around into the clearing at the foot of the mountain, by a cave. Near the cave entrance was a chair made of stone. Above the clearing, the dark clouds that hid the sun from the land seemed to swirl over the clearing. They seemed darker that the other clouds, denser so that almost no light could pass through them. What light did pass through struck black specs in the air and illuminated them just enough to be seen. They were falling toward the ground. But they didn't land.

Vesta stared. Juno felt primitive urges to run and struggled to resist them. Sailor Moon could feel hackles rising on her person. In the center of the clearing, the black particles were knitting themselves into a figure. It was a humanoid figure, unrecognizable and now partially obscured by gigantic bat wings that were forming around it. Sailor Moon didn't have to see the birth to its conclusion to know it was Sailor Chaos being reborn, reformed from the obsidian particles raining down from the swirling cloud above.

And that wasn't the scariest part. The sense of overwhelming darkness, devoid of love and life and hope, was emanating from the cloud above them.

Sailor Moon nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her thigh. But it was only Vesta. The Senshi signaled that they should retreat. She glanced at Juno and Juno nodded in agreement. The Princess looked back at the reforming Sailor Chaos and wondered if she could destroy the Dark Senshi if she struck now with all her power. But everything she knew or learned about strategy told her that a tactical retreat was warranted. Reluctantly she nodded. The three Senshi began creeping silently back the way they came.

"You think Sailor Cosmos knows?" Juno asked when they were far enough away to risk speaking.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Sailor Moon replied. She seemed subdued.

"Maybe we should go back," Vesta suggested. "Try to take her down while she's still - - whatever she is now. Might not get a better chance."

"I don't think it would work," Sailor Moon shook her head. "Did you notice that swirling cloud over her?"

"Yeah," Vesta said and said no more, so as not to reveal weakness.

"Cosmos said that Sailor Chaos is an aspect of Chaos, the entity," Sailor Moon continued. "I think that cloud . . ."

"Was Chaos?" Juno asked in astonishment.

"Or a stronger aspect. Chaos always seems to act through surrogates: Wise Man, Nehelenia, Talon Umbra, now Sailor Chaos. Maybe that was just another surrogate." She brightened a little. "Maybe that's how we defeat Chaos! We find a way to cut it off from its surrogates! If Chaos can't survive in our dimension for some reason, cutting it off from it's surrogates . . .!"

From above a dark figure swooped down upon them. Vesta and Juno dodged, barely avoiding a sword stroke. They got up, looked up, and saw Sailor Chaos above them.

"You will rue the decision to come here," Chaos said, emotionless as always. "You cannot go anywhere that I cannot sense you, Princess."

"How?" demanded Sailor Moon, her Moon Tier out and pointed at the Dark Senshi.

Sheathing her sword, Sailor Chaos cupped her hands to her chest. A familiar warp formed over her chest and a jewel floated out. It hovered between the two hands, glowing in the low light, throwing ominous shadows over the face of Sailor Chaos.

Sailor Moon felt her knees growing weak as she stared up at the crystal. It was polished black, but with rivulets of pink through it. Vesta and Juno looked at their leader in shock.

"The crystal knows its ancestor," Sailor Chaos said without emotion.

"No," Sailor Moon mumbled. "How? HOW?"

"You wish to hear the tale? Ask Sailor Cosmos, if she will speak of it," Sailor Chaos sneered. Then she drew her sword. "I would rather send you down your path by spattering you with the blood of your two companions."

"Fauna Assimilation, Fire-breathing Dragon!"

Instantly Vesta reformed into the Chinese dragon. She swung at Chaos, but the Senshi easily avoided it. In counterattack, Chaos swung her sword and clipped two talons off of Vesta's right front paw.

"Aqua Initiation!" Juno shouted.

The ground beneath them rumbled and then broke away as a huge gusher of water shot up from deep underground water tables. Sailor Chaos covered herself with her bat wings as the water struck her and buffeted her away. The wings spread out to catch the air and renew the attack, but Juno's water spout bent unnaturally and followed Chaos. Sailor Chaos swooped over the water and dove at Juno, but Vesta the dragon lunged in and swatted Chaos away. Through the air the Dark Senshi tumbled, finally righting herself.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

The tendrils shot out and quickly wrapped around Sailor Chaos, seeking to subdue her, to pacify her, to tempt her heart to good. For good measure Vesta's clawed paw shot out and grabbed Chaos, holding her while the tendrils tried to seduce her to good.

"Give in, Chaos!" Sailor Moon shouted as she held the Moon Tier. "If that is my crystal in your chest, it has to be responding! Listen to it! Let it guide you! Let it lead you away from what you are and give you the chance to be what you could become!"

Sailor Chaos responded by throwing her head back and screaming. Suddenly she was enveloped in a shroud of black. Vesta released her as if she'd been bitten. The Dark Senshi floated up into the air. The shroud exploded from her. Juno prepared to attack again with her water spout. But a beam of dark light from Sailor Chaos's eyes rocked the ground beneath them and threw all three Senshi from their feet.

"I refuse," Sailor Chaos replied. There was a hostile edge to her voice. "I make you a counter offer. I carve the pink crystal from your chest and then slaughter your companions. That way I gain what is mine and eliminate the possibility of Sailor Cosmos."

Chaos dove for her and instantly Sailor Moon knew her adversary was coming in too fast. She brought the Moon Tier up. But Sailor Chaos was knocked from her path by a beam of pure white light. The Dark Senshi crashed hard into the rocky ground, her sword spinning far away from her. Knowing it was Cosmos, the trio looked up anyway.

"Come!" Sailor Cosmos insisted. "We must get away from here, here of all places, before she can recover!"

"But we've got her on the ropes!" Sailor Moon protested. "And I have an idea . . .!"

"Mom, don't argue!" exclaimed Cosmos.

Juno saw Sailor Chaos, still prone on the ground, gesture with her hand. Vesta noticed the sword wiggling on the ground some thirty feet from Sailor Chaos and then jump into the air.

Sailor Moon saw the sword fly point first directly into Sailor Cosmos's abdomen and the Senshi of Light plummet to the Earth below.

Concluded in Chapter 15


	15. Hope For The Past

CHAOS AND COSMOS  
Chapter 15: "Hope For The Past"  
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Scrambling on all fours, not even wasting time to get to her feet, Sailor Moon lunged over to where Sailor Cosmos had fallen. The dark sword of Sailor Chaos stuck out of her abdomen as if she were a butterfly pinned to a cork board. Cosmos stared up into the dark, morose sky, a look of genuine surprise on her face. She tried to speak, then swallowed once, then twice. But her voice would not come.

"No," Sailor Moon whispered, naked terror running through her being as she cradled Cosmos.

"To me, my sword," they heard Sailor Chaos say.

The sword shot out of the wound in Sailor Cosmos. Blood followed, gurgling out and staining the pristine white fuku she wore. Sailor Moon jammed her hand down on the wound to try to stop the bleeding, but the blood just oozed around her palm and stained her glove.

Vesta lunged at Sailor Chaos, who was approaching Sailor Moon and Sailor Cosmos, sword in hand. Chaos lashed out with her bat wings and slapped Vesta away. Juno took a position between her and Sailor Moon. Sailor Chaos continued to advance as if Juno meant nothing.

"At last it ends," Sailor Chaos said as she approached. "I shall cleave your head from your shoulders, and then this world will fall under the sway of my master. All will die. Everything will cease. This world will crumble into dust and float through space as debris, with no hint that there was ever anything living here."

"No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no," Sailor Moon mumbled to herself, ignoring the advance of Sailor Chaos as she desperately tried to staunch the bleeding of Sailor Cosmos - - of her daughter. Sailor Cosmos looked away from the heavens and locked eyes with the younger version of her mother. She heard Juno being viciously swatted away. And in that moment, Sailor Moon felt the specter of death. The Princess looked over her shoulder, saw Sailor Chaos raise her sword to strike, and felt desperation consume her.

And the world exploded in pink.

* * *

Sailor Moon's next conscious realization was of a bright light. She wondered if she were dead. Then she realized that the bright light was the sun in the sky. There was a shape on her right. She tried to turn, but it was like every ounce of energy had been sucked from her body. As her vision cleared, The Princess could see it was Sailor Cosmos kneeling beside her, bending over her. The Senshi's pristine face, so much like Queen Serenity's, was stained with tears and more were bubbling from her eyes. Those pristine features were twisted in sorrow. With great effort, Sailor Moon brought her hand up to wipe the tears from the woman's face, but she couldn't lift her arm high enough. The gesture was enough to bring a burst of joy to Cosmos and her hands locked around Sailor Moon's. At the bottom of her vision hovered Vesta and Juno. They were relieved as well.

"Why is everybody crying?" Sailor Moon whispered weakly. "What happened?"

"You saved me, Mom," Sailor Cosmos whimpered. "You saved me from dying. And you destroyed Sailor Chaos. And you destroyed the shroud in the sky that was blocking the sun from that part of the world." Her features grew stern. "And nearly killed yourself!"

"Feels like it," sighed Sailor Moon. "You're all right?"

"Yeah, Mom," Sailor Cosmos squeaked. "It's a good thing I was still alive when you did it. Bringing me back from the dead would have killed you. So don't scare me like that! I've already seen you die once!"

"Is that how she got my crystal?" Sailor Moon asked.

Sailor Cosmos glared at her.

"You know I'm going to find out somehow," The Princess said.

"Yeah," Cosmos replied, sagging in defeat. "Something happened - - I'm not going to say what - - and you blew your stack. You took Chaos head on at the Galaxy Cauldron." She looked down. "And you died. And the crystals sought out a new host."

"Crystals?"

"You held the Imperium Silver Crystal from when Grandma died," Sailor Cosmos told her. "Along with your own crystal, it made you pretty powerful. It's probably why you thought you could take on Chaos. Well, the Silver Crystal sought me out. But Chaos was able to seize your pink crystal and corrupt it - - and construct Sailor Chaos from it."

Sailor Moon closed her eyes in regret. She opened them again and squeezed her daughter's hand as hard as she could.

"You can still beat her," Sailor Moon whispered. "I know a way . . ."

"Mom, stop," sighed Sailor Cosmos.

"Don't admit defeat so readily," she admonished.

"I'm not admitting defeat. I'm facing reality!" Sailor Cosmos shot back. "You don't get it, Mom! You never did! Chaos is destruction, decay, entropy, death! YOU CAN'T DESTROY DEATH, MOM - - no matter how stubborn you are."

"Cosmos," Sailor Moon began to argue, still flat on her back.

"Death is a constant in the universe, Mom. You can't defeat it. All you can do is fend it off as long as you can." And Cosmos smiled at her wistfully. "That's what Grandma did. That's what you did. And that's what I do. I fend off death as long as I can to give life a chance to flourish. It's the cosmic balance. Chaos will win, eventually. But I'm not going to make it easy. I'm going to fend Chaos off as long as I'm able. And, if I'm lucky enough to have a child, she'll take up the cause as well. And life on Earth will survive another thousand years."

"When I listen to you talk like that," Sailor Moon murmured, "it's almost like listening to Helios."

"Dad taught me a lot," Cosmos said wistfully. She bent down and wrapped her arms around the limp Senshi. "I've missed him, and you." They broke from the hug. "But Mom, you've really got to go," and she grinned, "before you screw anything else up."

"Why do I suddenly have this picture in my mind of Mom grinning at me in triumph," Sailor Moon whispered ruefully.

"Aunt Vesta, Aunt Juno, can you two support her?" Cosmos asked. "I need my hands free to send you three back."

"There is no need," Sailor Pluto said, appearing in a wink before them. "I shall ferry them back to their proper time. Save your energy for more pressing matters, Sailor Cosmos."

"Of course," and Cosmos deferred to the Senshi of Time.

Pluto pointed her Garnet Orb Staff at the three Senshi from the past and they faded into nothing. She turned to Sailor Cosmos.

"Do you think Chaos will remake Sailor Chaos again?" Pluto asked, knowing the answer.

"Maybe," Cosmos replied. "Maybe Chaos won't have the chance. With what Mom knows now, she might act differently and prevent Sailor Chaos from coming into being." The woman grinned nostalgically. "After all, you know Mom. The surest way to get her to do something is to tell her that she can't."

"And do you believe that will be the end of it?" Pluto asked.

"No," sighed Cosmos. "Chaos will just make another surrogate. The cosmic balance will maintain itself."

Pluto turned to leave, but Cosmos stopped her.

"It's been really nice to see you again, Pluto," Cosmos said. "And thank you for not interfering with my mission to protect Dad."

"I had little choice," Pluto replied. "You would have come regardless. You are your mother's daughter as much as your father's." And, for the first time in Cosmos's memory, Sailor Pluto smiled at her. "And you assume that I wished to stop you."

Pluto gave her staff a quarter turn and faded from view. Sailor Cosmos sat and pondered that last statement, wondering just who exactly was the one manipulating the past here. Shaking her head, the Senshi turned away and faced the crowd of villagers who had gathered to watch.

"So," she said to them, "how can I help you?"

* * *

"Serenity, you mustn't push yourself so soon after your recovery!" Ami exclaimed.

She, Makoto and Rei were all trying to keep Serenity in bed, while Serenity was struggling to get up. Finally The Queen made herself immaterial and passed through her friends like a ghost. As she became material again, Endymion reached out and grasped her hand.

"Endymion, we have to go to her! We have to find her!" Serenity gasped in alarm. "She's not ready to face someone like Sailor Chaos! Not yet!"

"We'll go to the Door Of Time," Endymion assured her. "I'll order Pluto to send us to her if I have to. Just don't push yourself!" Saturn looked around. Pluto had mysteriously vanished.

"I won't! I swear!" Serenity nodded, not that anyone in the room believed her. Her four Senshi simultaneously summoned their henshin sticks, preparing to accompany her.

Then Sailor Moon appeared in the room, propped up by Sailor Vesta and Sailor Juno.

"USA!" wailed the Queen, lunging for her first born.

Directed by Ami, Vesta and Juno maneuvered Sailor Moon to the bed her mother had just vacated. It was a difficult task with Serenity clinging to the teen the entire way. Endymion was able to pull her away and the two young Senshi eased her into the bed. Ami scanned her while Saturn hovered and everyone held their breath.

"She's suffering from acute exhaustion," Ami concluded. She frowned at her patient. "Did you push yourself beyond the limits of your crystal?"

"Kinda," Sailor Moon sighed.

"She had to do it," Juno explained. "Otherwise Sailor Cosmos would have died. And Sailor Chaos would have killed us all."

"Well at least she had a good reason," remarked Makoto.

"They ALWAYS have a good reason," clucked Ami. "And the result is always the same." She extended a tube from the control panel and pressed the end to Sailor Moon's biceps, then pressed a button on the display. "Sailor Moon, please drop your transformation. I'm giving you a sedative to let you rest and recover. It will work more effectively in your civilian form."

Sailor Moon nodded and changed to Usa. Her eyelids began to droop immediately.

"Will she be all right?" Serenity asked Ami desperately.

"If she gets sufficient rest and recovery," Ami replied, "probably. But that's the trouble with you and her: when you over-extend yourselves like this, you both run the risk of doing permanent damage to yourselves."

"I'm sorry, Ami-Chan," Serenity said timidly. "May I stay with her?"

"Yes," Ami nodded.

"May I?" Hotaru spoke up quickly.

"Yes, Hotaru-Chan."

"How about . . .?" Vesta began.

"Her parents, Helios and Hotaru," Ami hardened. "Everyone else OUT!" The crowd began to shuffle out.

"Aw, don't take it so hard, Rei," needled Minako.

"Shut up," Rei hissed back.

"Vesta . . . Juno . . ." Usa spoke up drowsily. The two Senshi turned to her. "Thank you."

And she drifted off to sleep.

"Yes, thank you both," Serenity added, sitting next to her daughter's bed and holding her hand.

Vesta and Juno nodded and left - - and felt a little bit better about themselves.

* * *

After sleeping for twenty-two days, The Princess finally awoke. She found Helios and her mother there. State business had called Endymion away, while Haruka and Michiru had forced Hotaru to get back to her life. After enduring a tearful prolonged hug from her mother and enjoying a grateful kiss from Helios, Usa gave her guests a brief rundown of what had happened in the future.

"That's so horrible what happened in the future," Serenity mused. Then she looked squarely at Usa. "So, are you certain that Sailor Cosmos is your daughter?"

"Yeah, Mom. She admitted as much when she realized she couldn't hide it from me anymore," Usa nodded.

"I have a granddaughter!" Serenity gasped happily. Then her expression changed gravely. "I have a granddaughter. Oh, I suddenly feel so old."

"Mom, you're over a thousand," sighed Usa.

"I know. It's just . . ." Then the Queen paused, struck by something only she sensed. "Oh, Mamoko is waking up. I'd better go see if she's all right. You're sure you're feeling better, Usa?"

"Yeah, Mom. I won't be working out for a few days, but I'm over the worse of it. You know how that feels."

Serenity nodded and glided off. Usa turned to Helios and saw him looking at her strangely.

"What?" she asked.

"We have a child, Maiden," he said.

"We WILL have a child," she corrected him. "And I don't know when." She grinned. "Could be nine months from now."

"Recover first," he admonished, tongue-in-cheek. Then he grew serious. "I confess, I am anxious to get to know her."

"You'd like her, Helios. I see a lot of you in her. I'm not sure about some of the choices she's made - - but I guess I'm not one to talk."

Helios noticed his love grow somber.

"What troubles you?" he asked. "Is it the origin of Sailor Chaos?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, looking at her hands. "Helios, how does it keep happening? How does Chaos keep finding a way to exploit the-the flaw in me? Why can't I ever wipe away that stain on my soul that Chaos keeps using . . .?"

She felt his hand curl around hers and grip it. Usa glanced up at him and saw the concern and sympathy for her. She wanted to hug him, but she was still too tired to move.

"We can only be who we are, Maiden," he advised her. "We can only strive to be the best we can be. If that best is still insufficient, draw no fault from it. We cannot be who we are not."

"Yeah," Usa sighed. "But we can take steps to prevent something if we know about it ahead of time."

"Such as?" Helios asked, concerned.

Usa wouldn't answer.

"Maiden, would you destroy yourself if it meant keeping your crystal out of the hands of Chaos and preventing the creation of Sailor Chaos?"

"If it came to that," she replied.

"But Maiden," Helios spoke, "you forget that Chaos acquires your crystal in the first place by means of your death. Destroying yourself would only hasten the coming of Sailor Chaos, not prevent it."

"Depends on how I 'destroy myself'," Usa maintained. "If I can take the crystal with me, maybe . . ." Her voice trailed off. "Hopefully it won't have to come to that. There are other things I can do between now and - - whenever that happens. But what better gift could I give to our daughter and to the world than a world without Sailor Chaos?"

She looked up at Helios and saw the concern in his face.

"And what kind of a world would it be without you?" he asked her.

"Well, I'm supposed to die in that battle at the Galaxy Cauldron anyway," she reasoned. "Would it hurt that much more if I . . . well, died a little earlier - - in a good cause?"

"Perhaps it would," Helios said, "to me."

Tears welled in her eyes.

"Yeah," Usa said. "Maybe that's what sets me off in the first place: Chaos finally manages to get to you. I know you being murdered by Chaos or one of her surrogates might send me off the deep end. Although, if I know it's coming, maybe I can prevent it - - or at least be prepared for it."

"May saner heads prevail, Maiden," Helios replied. "I would not wish to see you descend into anger and vengeance over something as paltry as my death."

The couple lapsed into silence, contemplating their futures.

"You suppose this is what Desdaemona was worried about?" Usa asked.

* * *

When Usa was finally deemed fit to be released, she found Hotaru and the Asteroids waiting for her. They headed as a group for the palace gym to allegedly get in some training, but more so to hang out.

"You're sure you're OK?" Jun asked as they walked. "You gave us a real scare when your crystal exploded in that pink light and then you keeled over right after Sailor Chaos dissolved."

"Yeah, I was a little - - out of control when that happened," Usa explained with chagrin. "Sailor Chaos was just on me so fast, and Sailor Cosmos was dying and, well, the first thing I thought of was I need to make everything right. And the crystal responded."

"Understandable," Cere commented.

"Just don't do it again," fussed Hotaru anxiously.

"Sorry, Hotaru," Usa grinned sheepishly. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"So Miss Hotaru-Ma'am was scared?" Palla-Palla asked.

"Well, yeah," Hotaru replied. "I thought I was going to lose her."

"And The Princess was scared by the other bad lady?"

"Down to my boots," Usa acknowledged. "I don't mind saying it: Sailor Chaos might be the toughest adversary I've ever faced."

"Got that right," mumbled Ves. Cere glanced at her, but said nothing.

"But Palla-Palla couldn't fight when she was scared," the teen moaned. "Palla-Palla just curled up like a chicken."

"You had every right to be scared. I still shudder at the memory of being possessed by that - - woman," Hotaru offered. "Palla-Palla, we don't sense thoughts like you do. Maybe you were more scared than we were, but maybe it was because you could sense what Talon Umbra and Sailor Chaos were and you had more to be scared of."

"Yeah, Palla-Palla, we can only be who we are and we can only do our best," Usa added. "Helios told me that and it makes a lot of sense - - for you and for me."

Palla-Palla nodded somberly.

"And for you, Hotaru," Usa said to her best friend. "All we can do is our best, even if we have to relive experiences we'd rather not relive."

Hotaru looked down, her brow knit.

"Yes, Usa," Hotaru said finally.

"I think that's pretty good advice for all of us," Cere commented. They entered the gym. Usa noticed that the group seemed burdened with what they'd all gone through.

"OK," she clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "How about a little three on three combat training? Losers treat the winners to a night at the dance club."

"Works for me," grunted Ves. "My PDA's random selection program can choose sides."

"We'll use MY PDA," Cere replied. "Yours is probably rigged to cheat."

As Ves and Cere began to bicker, Usa turned to Hotaru and smirked. The knowing smirk she got back gave her hope that they'd taken the first step toward mending.

Concluded


End file.
